


A Tomb of My Own

by AbyssWalk3r



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: F/M, Here I Go Again On My Bullshit, Mild Blood, Other, Pokémon on human violence, cursing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:40:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 56,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23831740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AbyssWalk3r/pseuds/AbyssWalk3r
Summary: Immortality.Man has long sought this blessing, this escape from death, and history has been etched with the different means with which eternal life could hope to be achieved. Somewhere along the way, they succeeded, at the cost of 108 souls and a vessel needed to house them. Unable to die, the vessel roamed the regions of the Pokemon World for centuries until he came to find himself in the distant and unfamiliar island nation of Galar, settling into what he hoped would be another dull chapter of his long life in a world that has changed so much around him.Well, things don't always work out the way one intends, unfortunately, and the vessel finds himself dragged into Galar's Gym Challenge (not for want of resisting, truth be told).Who knows? Maybe he'll learn something new about himself from this whole ordeal.
Relationships: Rurina | Nessa/Original Pokemon Trainer(s)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 51





	1. A Stranger in a New Region

**Author's Note:**

> I'm a little rusty when it comes to the personalities of the characters involved (Hop and a few notable others for sure) and I will admit I might mess up on their preferred phrases and verbatim (Hop again), so feel free to correct me or add pointers to certain characters when I write dialogue for them.

He still remembered the ancient halls, roughly carved inside a winding cave burrowing deep into Mount Coronet. The rounded walls were like the jagged, rough throat of an Onix, probably because it had been scores of those Pokemon that were responsible for gouging these passages in the first place. 

He could feel the rough hands of the muscular men dragging him through the ancient tunnel, their shadows flickering erratically due to the torch sconces lining the walls. 

“Why are you doing this? What have I done wrong?” he asked them again and again, but received no answer. 

He was dragged into a large chamber lined with columns made of stalagmites, a gathering of hooded figures standing in a circle in the very center of the chamber. Two Aggron flanked a raised dais in their formation, the Pokemon silent as their eyes stared at the earth. 

“What’s going on?” he tried again to get answers as he was dragged into the center of the circle. “Why am I being brought here?” 

Faces he could neither see nor remember watched him in silence as he was dumped to the cold and rough ground, the rocks gouging into his legs and slowly drinking his lifeblood from the cuts. 

“You will be a masterpiece, my friend,” a voice long gone and a man lost to history strode forward, gesturing at what appeared to be a sort of large stone. “At last, we have a way to make ourselves immortal. We will never fear death again!” 

Immortality? This nonsense again? 

The heavy-looking stone was conical in shape, with a crack on the flat top as if it had been opened up to have something poured into it, shimmering with unnatural energy that made his very soul sick to its core. 

“108 souls have been gathered within this keystone!” the voice crowed, earning excited whispers from the other hooded figures while horror drove icy nails through their prisoner’s skull. “And now, with this last one, we unlock eternity!” 

108 souls? Hadn’t there been reports of people disappearing from the other villages? By Arceus, what had they done?! 

“Take it to him!” the lost figure gestured to the two Aggron standing behind him, who stomped forward and lifted their clawed steel hands to lift the strange stone, both Pokemon grunting in exertion as they lifted it from its pedestal and carefully carried it over. 

The stone was reaching out for his soul, sucking it forward as ominous purple and black light flickered from the crack and holes set into its surface. The men who’d brought him in ripped his tunic open before scurrying away, desperate to escape the grasp of that unnatural stone. 

His voice died in his throat as his begging and pleading were ripped away by the void approaching him, the sound of chanting from the circle being drowned out by a howling wind hammering his ears. 

Could they not hear it? 

The stone was held pressed against his bare flesh, ice cold and lifeless, and then the howls exploded into screams. A vortex of darkness and otherworldly spectral light poured into him, vaguely humanoid shadows rippling and writhing as voices from men and women alike pounded his ears. 

They were screaming, begging for mercy, pleading for an end to the darkness. Faces flitted by in the shadows, in the chaos, and pure heated agony blossomed alongside the stone going into his flesh, claiming him as another sacrifice. 

Another face appeared in the shadows, right as something lurched in his chest and the empty eyes opened to reveal a black vortex within each iris. A rippling circular specter with sickly green orb-like lights flickering to life on its ‘body’ emerged from the face, its spiral irises matching the way its form rippled in a clockwise motion. 

“Toomb,” a jagged mouth parted, and then his eyes flew open. 

He shot upright in his bed, the comfortable green comforter falling away from a body drenching a white tank top and brown shorts in sweat. 

“Damn it, why that dream again?” he shoved the covers off and slid his legs from the bed, springs creaking under his shifting weight. 

His bare feet hit the worn floorboards, muscles trembling as he pushed himself to stand. His flesh erupted into goosebumps from the sudden chill, but he ignored it as he moved through the darkness of his closed off bedroom into a hallway lit by a lone window letting in bright sunlight. 

Morning already? Damn it all. 

He shuffled over the plush rugs through the kitchen, ignoring the bright red and yellow eye that followed his every move while its owner floated after him. 

“I’m just going to the bathroom, Dusknoir,” he grumbled at his nuisance as he pushed open the door to his destination and strode inside, dragging himself towards the porcelain sink and twisting its smooth, glass Cloyster-shaped knob. 

The Dusknoir that had made its purpose to follow him around watched in silence, the ‘mouth’ on its body glowing with an eerie golden light as the antenna on its head bobbed with every movement it made. 

He cupped his hands together, letting the shock of icy water send ripples through his palms before gathering enough of it and then redirecting that shock to his face. Icy droplets ran down his face and neck, but the haze of awakening from such deep slumber was immediately chased away as rivulets of water mingled with the sweat stain on his shirt. 

He could hear those damn Wooloo outside, baa-ing up a storm while the other residents of this little town went about their morning routines, utterly oblivious to the creature that had just purchased and moved into the empty home on the outskirts just a day and a half ago. 

The filthy shirt was clinging to his flesh, and he pulled it off over his head, tossing it into a laundry basket with one hand while turning off the faucet with the other, tired sickly-green eyes staring at the wretched thing in the mirror. They’d been brown, once. 

His bronzed skin was gleaming with sweat, his angular face set with high cheekbones and a rather curious scar curving around lips that were clearly more used to frowning than smiling. Long brown hair framed his face and fell in waves around his shoulders, desperately needing to be brushed and tended to by the copious amounts of care products needed to keep it healthy. The rest of it stuck up wildly as if he’d been shocked by an Electric-type. 

He looked like any ordinary young man, but all one needed to do was turn their gaze to his bare chest to see the truth. In the center of his torso, extending almost to his waist and neck, was a mess of what appeared to be grey scar tissue, a perfect reflection of the keystone that had been his undoing so long ago. The selfsame stone that lay buried within his flesh, pulsating alongside his labored heartbeats. 

“Noir,” the Dusknoir watching him groaned from his side, its thick arms gesturing a warning at the door. 

Someone was coming? Probably a well-intentioned fool hoping to greet the new neighbor! Fantastic! 

Why couldn’t they just leave him alone? 

At least the voices of the damn souls trapped in the keystone were silent today. 

“Can’t you just scare whoever it is off?” he cast a baleful, exhausted glare at the Dusknoir, which shook its conical head in disapproval. “You’re a helpful one.” 

At least the house hadn’t become a haven for every Ghost or Dark type within a mile yet, like every other place he settled into. He would leave and come back to find a Lampent hanging from his door, or maybe a pair of Scraggy raiding his pantry for snacks. Once he’d found an entire pack of Houndour in his living room, watching as a Haunter juggled several Ghastly. 

“I swear, if another Sableye digs a ‘basement’ in which to hoard stolen jewelry and gems again, I am going to get an exterminator,” he trudged back to his room, flicking on some lights to breathe life into the sparsely furnished kitchen before rummaging through the unpacked boxes of clothes for a suitable replacement to his soiled nightshirt. 

And he’d actually liked living in Unova, far away from Sinnoh and those wretched memories... Kalos and Alola had been nice, too, before he’d had to move on lest people wonder why he never aged. 

Immortality, just what those dusty bastards had wanted! Turned out all you needed was 108 damned souls, plus one extra, a keystone, and a rather bewildered and confused Pokemon formed from said souls to devour your own and use your body as a vessel! 

Well, not that this poor Spiritomb could do anything: it was trapped in the keystone now merged with his flesh, feeding what remained of his life essence with the souls it contained like how a Pikachu could power a generator. 

He snorted at the comparison as he threw on a black t-shirt that made him look somewhat composed, glancing up as Dusknoir offered a spray deodorant made in the likeness of a Bounsweet. 

“Thanks,” he sprayed himself, his nostrils being assaulted by the too-sweet stench of berries. 

The doorbell chimed, announcing his unwanted visitor’s arrival. 

He looked at the Dusknoir, which had wisely chosen to phase its body through the floor to avoid detection, making sure it was completely out of sight before dragging himself over to the door. 

A swipe of the hand undid the latch and the bolt while the other pulled the handle to open the door, letting in a gust of warm air and sunlight bright enough to make his eyes scream in eternal agony. 

“Oh, hullo! I hope I didn’t wake you up!” a cheery middle-aged woman with dark skin and short black hair was standing before him, her jeans and cream-colored shirt covering her body. 

Her accented voice was almost too loud, he decided, blinking to clear his vision at the too-bright smile. 

“Not at all. I was merely taking a rest from unpacking,” he muttered. “Can I help you?” 

The woman’s smile seemed to grow even brighter, if that was even possible. “Oh, I just wanted to greet our new neighbor! I must apologize if I seem overly cheery: we haven’t heard a thing about the person who’d bought this old place and I must admit my curiosity is driving me mad!” 

Well, at least she was honest. 

“I’m afraid I’m not much to talk about,” he answered. “Just a traveler who wanted a new place to settle in for a time.” 

The blurry woman nodded, her hair bobbing around her neck as she did. “A traveler? Might I trouble you to share some stories over tea sometime? I have some blends that I’m sure you’d absolutely adore!” 

She had the air of a woman used to being a host at gatherings and whatnot, someone who absolutely flourished in taking care of others. He’d seen many like her before, watched them wither if they had no purpose. 

“That sounds lovely, thank you for the invitation,” he straightened, if only to make himself a little more presentable, and offered a smile he hoped didn’t appear too much like a grimace. “However, I have much unpacking to do and will likely be busy for a better part of the day.” 

The last vestiges of his blurred vision faded just in time for the full, unbridled force of the woman’s spotlight smile to smash into his screaming retinas. “Oh, it’s my pleasure, dear! If I can send my boy Hop over to help, please don’t hesitate to ask! We’re just down the road a ways if you need anything! Ta!” 

She started to walk away, then paused and retreated back to the door with an embarrassed smile on her face as she held her hand out. “Oh, where are my manners! My name is Priscilla!” 

He reached out and clasped the offered limb in his own, the warmth sinking into his flesh. “A pleasure to meet you. My name is Reese.” 

“The pleasure is all mine, Reese!” Priscilla beamed, uttering the fake name with ignorance shining blissfully in her dark eyes. “Welcome to Postwick!” 

He’d long forgotten what his true name had been, so used to slinking off whatever past identities he’d assumed in the way an Ekans shed its skin. 

Priscilla released his hand and offered another stunningly bright smile before waltzing away, and Reese shut the door to close out the blinding light. Now shut in the gentler artificial light and the darkness of dimmed lights from the living room, he waited in silence as his eyes adjusted to a more comfortable spectrum. 

Dusknoir emerged from the wall, folding its thick arms before its torso as it groaned at him. 

“Yes, she was friendly, but I have no intention of letting her boy rummage through this place,” Reese shot down its suggestion immediately, gazing wearily at the boxes still cluttering the kitchen. “Alright, let’s get started.” 

By the time he’d managed to shove Tupperware and silverware into the cabinets and to put his clothes in his room’s closet, and wrestled his long hair into a more presentable fashion, his stomach was starting to rumble. 

“Noir!” Dusknoir’s alarmed voice made Reese turn to find himself staring into the small muzzle of an unfamiliar Pokemon. 

It looked like a tiny dragon, barely longer than his forearm, with nubs for arms and a rather arrowhead-shaped face. Its serpentine body ended in a ghostly tail that actually seemed to fade from sight, its wide eyes boring into Reese. 

“Well, that was fast,” Reese muttered, shaking his head. “Where did you come from, little one?” 

“Dreepy,” it answered, its tinny voice being translated in the back of Reese’s mind. 

“You felt a welcome presence and invited yourself in?” he repeated, at which the Pokemon nodded. “You’re lucky Shadow wasn’t here, or else she would have sliced you in half.” 

The Pokemon squealed in terror and looked frantically around, then darted with surprising speed behind Reese. 

“I said she wasn’t here,” he assured the little creature, then motioned at Dusknoir. “Dusknoir isn’t going to hurt you, either.” 

“Py?” it squeaked at him, the cold sensation of its body pressing against his arm. 

“She’s a bit jumpy, so if she does come here, just be sure to introduce yourself. She loves to travel whenever we go somewhere new, so I have no clue where she is at the moment,” Reese shrugged. “You hungry?” 

The Pokemon nodded eagerly, then dove into the kitchen, which was followed by rattling as it rummaged through the cabinets. 

“Any idea what that one’s called?” Reese muttered to Dusknoir, which nodded as it grunted in answer. “Dreepy? I guess it did say its name earlier.” 

“Hello! New neighbor?” a boy’s voice, accented like Priscilla’s, came from the door, accompanied by its owner rapping on the door. 

“Arceus damn it all,” Reese trudged over to the door and opened it, finding himself greeted with a young man who looked exactly like his mother. “Can I help you?” 

The boy lifted his hand in greeting, giving a brilliant smile. “Sorry for interrupting, but I wanted to say hi! I’m Hop!” 

Ah, so Reese was right: this was the kid. “Priscilla’s son, right? She came by earlier to say hello.” 

The boy nodded, his blue jacket and jeans carrying tufts of what appeared to be wool. “I’m Hop! Pleased to meet you! Wooloo and I came to...huh? Wooloo?” 

He looked back to see one such Wooloo standing as far away from the house as possible, its cute face twisted into a growl. 

“Woolo, what’s wrong?” Hop frowned and jogged over to the growling Pokemon, kneeling next to it and rubbing its fuzzy body. “It’s okay, you don’t need to be afraid!” 

“It’s fine: I’m used to Pokemon responding as such,” Reese shrugged. “So, you’re a Pokemon trainer?” 

Hop nodded, perplexed. “Yeah, I am. Wooloo’s never done this to anyone before...” 

“First time for everything,” Reese shrugged, glancing over as Dreepy settled on his shoulder, its cheeks bulging. “That better not be the berry sandwich I set aside for lunch.” 

It cooed, curiously gazing at the growling Wooloo. 

“Oh, you’re a Trainer, too? Smashing!” Hop grinned. “Are you here to participate in this year’s Gym Challenge?” 

“Gym Challenge?” Reese frowned. 

Hop nodded, absently patting his Wooloo’s fluffy head. “Yeah, Galar’s Gym Challenge! Challengers from all over go through the gauntlet of Galar’s gyms, hoping to win the badges from each Gym Leader! If you defeat all of them, you get a chance to move into the Semi-Finals and then the Finals, before facing off against Galar’s strongest trainer: my bro, Lee!” 

His brother was this region’s Champion, huh? Interesting. 

Dusknoir nudged Reese, and he looked over in annoyance as the Ghost nodded encouragingly to him, motioning at Dreepy. 

“I am not entering this Gym Challenge with a Pokemon that invited itself into my house and ate my food,” he grunted. 

He made the mistake of looking at the Dreepy to see it staring at him with big wide eyes, almost pleading with him to accept it. 

For fuck’s sake. 

“I really don’t want to,’ he muttered, at which those pleading eyes became even bigger and more pathetic. “Lilipuppy eyes don’t work on me, Dreepy. I’m not doing this challenge. Thanks but no thanks, Hop. If you’re going to participate, then good luck to you.” 

“H-huh? Wait!” Reese shut the door and walked back into his kitchen, glaring at the mess of discarded containers and scattered berries awaiting him. 

He glared at the crestfallen Dreepy dangling off his shoulder. “Well? Are you going to help clean up your mess?” 

Dusknoir floated into view, a disapproving gleam in its eye. “Dusk.” 

“Too hard on the kid? What does it matter?” Reese muttered, brown bangs obscuring his vision as he glared at the floor. “They’ll forget about me once I move on. They always do.” 

“Noir.” 

“Fuck off.” 

“Dusknoir.” 

“Why should I watch my language? I haven’t been a kid for about five hundred years, give or take,” Reese turned to glare at his resident pain in the ass. “You should know: you’ve been following me around for almost as long.” 

The Dusknoir shrugged, the apathetic nature of the gesture conveying the words it didn’t speak: “Do what you want.” 

Reese set the Dreepy down on the counter as gently as he could, then walked back towards his room. He looked around at the somewhat organized space, about to reach for the light switch when his abdomen pulsed. 

“Shit! Not now!” the world began to spin and blur and Reese dimly felt his knees and hands hit the floor, squeezing his eyes shut to keep the vertigo from making him vomit. “Spiritomb, you-” 

Darkness claimed him. 


	2. The Endorsement and the Model

From the darkness Reese awoke, his face pressed into bitterly cold hardwood as his entire torso pulsed with needles every time his heart beat. 

“Arceus damn it, Spiritomb,” he growled as he peeled his cheek off of the floor and pushed himself up on shaking arms. “That was not fucking necessary.” 

The presence inside of him stirred and filled his mind with its shriek of protest, making him wince. 

Reese fought down the hot anger and nodded. “I know you can’t control it. I’m sorry I took out my frustration on you.” 

This was an ongoing cycle with them, along with some other issues that plagued Reese’s body due to the presence of the keystone in his body. He never meant to get angry at the Pokemon-it was a victim of this damn arrangement as much as he was-but his temper got the better of him from time to time. 

The Spiritomb sulked, but it begrudgingly accepted his apology with a grumble. 

“Help me!” 

“Let me out! Please!” 

“Why me? What did I do to deserve this?” 

The whispers from the souls in the keystone slithered into Reese’s head, their pitiful cries and pleas more than familiar to him as they begged for release from this hell. They never understood what had happened, of course, only that they were trapped in eternal darkness with no way to escape. 

“Noir,” Dusknoir was hovering above him, concern in its voice as it offered a large hand. 

“I’m fine,” Reese took the cold, thick limb and let the spirit pull him up to his feet, grateful that there was no more vertigo threatening to make the world crumple around him. “How long was I out?” 

“Dusknoir.” 

Reese sighed and shook his head to tune out the voices, rubbing the sore spots on his abdomen. “Since yesterday? At least it wasn’t four days this time.” 

He turned his gaze to the window, where light was illuminating the edges of the thick curtain. Late morning, perhaps? 

At least he wasn’t too hungry anymore. 

A squeal announced the presence of the Dreepy as the little dragon ghost flitted in, holding an Oran Berry in its nubs. It cruised over and offered Reese the berry, cooing softly as it struggled to not drop its gift. 

Reese couldn’t help but smile as he reached out and accepted its peace offering, gently patting its triangular head with his free hand. “Thank you, Dreepy. I trust you cleaned up your mess as well?” 

It nodded firmly, giving a triumphant squeal as it puffed its tiny chest out. 

Even Dusknoir made an amused sound at the tiny Pokemon’s antics. 

Reese popped the Oran berry into his mouth and bit down, sweet juice exploding into his mouth as he chewed and swallowed it. That done, he strode to the closet while stripping off his shorts and shirt from the day before and tossing them onto a chair. 

He pried the closet door open and looked inside, grabbing a pair of jeans and a plain white t-shirt before throwing them on. Then next came the old long coat that he’d carried with him for almost two centuries, the frayed grey and black threads having been continuously repaired by whatever tailors he could afford. 

“Alright, let’s see what needs to be done to-” another Arceus damned knock at his door made him almost bite his tongue. “Oh, for the love of...” 

He strode over to the front and slid the door open, whatever curse he was fighting to contain fading at the odd sight awaiting him. 

“Hello there!” a man who appeared to be an older version of Hop was standing before the doorway, wearing a black shirt with a sword design on the front and sporty shorts in addition to a ridiculous cape and a cap with a crown design on the visor. “I hope you’re having a champion day so far!” 

Reese took a moment to bite his tongue before composing a more...neighborly response. “I’m doing well, I suppose. Who are you?” 

The man balked and then nodded to himself, rubbing the back of his head. “Ah, right, Hop and Mum did say that you weren’t from Galar. My name is Leon, and I am Galar’s Champion!” 

“Pleased to meet you,” Reese fought to keep his expression neutral as he leaned against the doorway to meet Leon’s gaze. “What brings the Champion to my humble abode?” 

Hop, he guessed, or their ‘mum’. 

“Ah, my little bro was saying that you had the potential to be a strong Challenger for the Gym Challenge!” Leon confirmed his first guess immediately, his grin never fading. “I wanted to take a look at our newest Trainer!” 

Reese frowned. “I didn’t agree to join the Challenge.” 

Surprise etched itself across Leon’s face. “Really? Your Dusknoir came to the house yesterday after I got home and told us you’d changed your mind. Er...well, made a lot of gestures while we were asking questions but affirmed that you’d changed your mind.” 

Reese turned his head to glare at the traitor in his midst, who met his gaze without flinching. “You little-” 

Dreepy came shooting past with an overjoyed cry, somersaulting through the air and performing quite acrobatic loops before settling itself on Reese’s shoulder and nuzzling his cheek. 

“Heh, looks like your partner seems quite excited about this!” Leon laughed, reaching over and grabbing Reese’s wrist. “Come on! I want to take you and Hop over to see Professor Magnolia!” 

“H-hey!” Reese spluttered as the Champion tugged him out of the house’s yard and down to a beaten earthen path that cut through the fields and simple houses of Postwick. 

The bastard was surprisingly strong! 

Reese tried to wrench his arm free, but the Champion’s glove-covered grip might as well be fashioned from iron. Fucking hell! 

Arceus damn it! 

“I can walk there on my own,” Reese growled as he managed to regain his balance and stop himself from falling on his face. “Leon.” 

“Huh? Oh, sorry about that!” Leon finally released him, but not after dragging him halfway to Wedgehurst. 

Reese massaged his sore wrist and sighed, shaking his head before turning his gaze to the distant buildings lining the hills of Wedgehurst. He’d taken the train there and then traveled from foot to Postwick, so he was a bit familiar with the town, but he hadn’t known that a Pokemon Professor lived there. 

Granted, he’d been quick to move what little possessions he had from the station to Postwick, given that the Pokemon in town had been getting notably agitated with his presence, so perhaps he hadn’t given himself enough time to actually look around. Even now, the herds of Wooloo in Postwick’s fields were stampeding away en masse, bleating up a storm as they tried to get away from Reese. 

“Not thinking on running off, are you?” Leon teased, blissfully ignorant to how much Reese was actually deliberating how quickly he could knock him out and run. 

The odds didn’t look good, especially with Leon’s ridiculous strength. 

Dreepy squeaked excitedly on his shoulder, the noise making him wince from the sudden auditory assault. 

“Let’s go,” might as well get this shit show over and done with. 

“Excellent!” Leon grinned and strode forward, with Reese trailing behind as their shoes dug into the dirt path. 

Dusknoir joined them after a few moments, its eye seeking out life as the group entered Wedgehurst. 

“Did you remember to lock up?” Reese drawled at his centuries-old nuisance, at which said nuisance nodded its conical head. 

“Noir,” if offered something in its large hand. 

“I forgot this?” Reese felt the cold orb settle into his palm, along with the necklace it was attached to, the power resonating from within sending shivers through his arm. “Ah, thank you.” 

“So, you can understand Dusknoir?” Leon asked, but Reese’s voice was cut off as people in the town began calling out to Leon. 

“Hey, Champion!” 

“Leon! How you doing?” 

Leon returned each greeting with a wave, a smile, and the occasional finger gun along with “Have a champion time, folks!” 

Reese just trudged in the guy’s wake, pocketing the stone as they eventually left town, crossed a bridge spanning a river and started down a winding natural trail leading to a house at the bottom of the hill. Next to the house was a small lake of sorts, which was fed by the river winding through the landscape. 

“There’s her house,” Leon spoke up once they’d moved beyond the calls from town. “Hop’s already waiting for us.” 

A shadow was cast from above, drawing Reese’s eyes skyward to where a Charizard was knifing through the skies, its roar shaking the air. 

“Charizard’s getting impatient,” Leon chuckled as they kept moving towards the house. 

“Your partner?” Reese guessed, at which the Champion nodded. 

“Wouldn’t be here without him!” 

Leon moved ahead of Reese, displaying the multitude of sponsor logos stitched onto the back of the cape. A walking talking advertisement, huh? 

Dreepy squeaked in his ear again, but notably softer this time. 

“You want to fly as high as Charizard?” Reese mused, glancing at the tiny Pokemon. “Well, I don’t know how high you can fly right now, but I wouldn’t go overboard with trying.” 

It nodded, although a bright gleam remained in its eyes as they watched the Charizard land in front of the house, where Hop and an older woman were watching the duo approach. Hop had some sort of white and red rabbit Pokemon running around his legs alongside his Wooloo. 

“Hey, there!” Hop was waving as they approached. “It’s absolutely great to see you and that you changed your mind! I look forward to competing alongside you!” 

“So, I assume you brought me here for a reason?” Reese grunted as he nodded to the old woman he presumed was Professor Magnolia. 

“This is the other Challenger?” she mused, raising an eyebrow as both Hop’s rabbit and Wooloo began to growl at Reese, pressing themselves protectively before their Trainer. “Now, now, be nice! What is your name, young man?” 

Reese had to stop himself from smirking at those words. “Reese, ma’am.” 

Young man? I’m older than you will ever be, Professor. 

“Oh, you’re a well-mannered one, are you?” Magnolia laughed, her wrinkled face emanating kindness and affection. “I have something for you.” 

She held out a small mechanical device, which Reese took even though it made his hair stand on end. 

“A Pokedex? For the Challenge?” he guessed, feeling electrical currents rippling through the device as he pocketed it. He could also feel...something else inside of it, something sentient. 

Magnolia nodded. “My granddaughter just finished tweaking this one and Hop’s.” 

Charizard growled as well, and Reese resisted the urge to flip a rude gesture at its direction. 

“Calm down, my friend,” Leon pat the Pokemon’s neck gently, concern and confusion in his eyes. 

“Well, how do I sign up for this Challenge?” Reese asked, deciding that he might as well get this damn thing over with. 

The sooner he got eliminated from this nonsense, the sooner he could return to a boring, empty existence alone with the few Pokemon that flocked to him. 

Leon grinned, his eyes gleaming. “You need an official endorsement from a former challenger, a current Gym Leader, or the Chairman of the League. Or from me.” 

“And how do we do that?” Reese glanced at Hop, then noticed the battlefield that was painted onto the lawn nearby. 

“You and Hop will battle!” Leon declared. “Prove that you’re worth endorsing!” 

“This will be but a start to the tale of my legend!” Hop declared as he took position at the far end of the field, his rabbit Pokemon bouncing on its feet before him. “Let’s do this, Scorbunny!” 

“Oh, what the hell...” Reese sighed and took position on the other end of the field, his shoes sinking into the soft grass while Dreepy floated forward with a determined cry. 

“Begin!” Leon called. 

“Scorbunny, Tackle!” Hop yelled. 

The rabbit launched itself forward, but Dreepy just turned to look at Reese with an ‘Are you serious’ expression on its face. Scorbunny flew right through Dreepy before skidding onto the ground behind it, staring up at Reese in surprise. 

“Ghost Type, Hop, Ghost Type,” Reese called out. “Normal and Fighting-Type moves go right through them.” 

Hop’s face darkened with embarrassment as he flinched, one eye closing while he rubbed the back of his head. “Ach! I’d forgotten that Dreepy were Ghost Types!” 

“Dreepy, what moves do you know?” Reese asked, which earned a surprised jolt from Hop and Leon. 

“Isn’t Dreepy one of your partners?!” the Champion spluttered. 

Reese shrugged. “I only met it yesterday and haven’t exactly had the chance to familiarize myself with its moves.” 

Dreepy shot towards the startled Scorbunny and bit down hard on the top of its head, making the other Pokemon squeal. 

“Bite, huh. Nice,” Reese commented as Scorbunny skittered away from the fang-filled Dreepy. 

“Ember!” Hop called out, and a small bolt of flame splattered across Dreepy’s face. 

“Dragon-type. Resists Fire,” Reese shook his head as Dreepy brushed off its head before squealing in outrage. “I’m afraid I have a type-advantage over both your partners.” 

Scorbunny stomped one of its feet in annoyance, then spat out another Ember, this one aimed at Reese. Dreepy intercepted the bolt with blinding speed and smacked it onto the ground with its tail, then soared over and bit the rabbit’s ear. 

“Nice one, Dreepy!” Reese admitted that there was some satisfaction in watching his partner dominate the battlefield. 

Charizard snarled, absolute murder in its eyes as it glared at him. Dusknoir growled a warning at it, lifting a thick fist shrouded in electricity. 

“Charizard, what’s wrong?” Leon asked. “You’ve never been so hostile towards someone else before.” 

“I’m used to it,” Reese shrugged. “Now, is there any point in continuing this? Dreepy resists or is immune to both of his partner’s attacks since I’m assuming Wooloo is a Normal-Type.” 

Leon sighed. “Well, you certainly have a knowledge of type advantages and Hop is at an unfortunate disadvantage given Dreepy’s typing. Alright, that’s enough! You both have potential, and I would like nothing more than to watch the two of you grow during this challenge. You have my endorsement!” He produced two envelopes and presented them, at which Charizard attempted to snap up one in its jaws. “Hey! Charizard, why don’t you take a flight to cool off, eh?” 

The Pokemon snorted unhappily and stomped a few feet away before skulking, folding its clawed arms before its broad chest. 

“Honestly, what’s gotten into him?” Leon muttered. 

Reese reached out and took one of the envelopes, carefully stashing it in one of his coat’s pockets. “Where do we register?” 

“Motostoke!” Hop announced, striding forward to take the second envelope from his brother. “We can take the rail there!” 

Right, the station in Wedgehurst. Sounds easy enough, and Reese had plenty of money saved up so he wouldn’t need to worry about food, lodging, or travel fees. 

“Hey, what’s that!” Hop pointed upwards, to where a single star streaked across the sky, a speck of light that abruptly changed course to stream earthward. 

“Head’s up!” Leon yelled, grabbing his brother to shield him with his own body as the light slammed into the ground right next to the battlefield with a boom, kicking up clods of dirt and shaking the earth. “A fallen star? What are the odds?” 

Dreepy soared over to the small crater and plucked something out from inside of it, small nubs grappling with the shining stone held within its grasp. 

“What is that?” Reese could feel a strange power emanating from the shard, and the stone Dusknoir had returned to him grew uncomfortably warm in his pocket as the little dragon drew closer. 

“A Wishing Star!” Leon declared, a grin in his voice. “Magnolia, are you still making those bracelets?” 

“Just one?” Hop sounded so disappointed, but Reese already didn’t like how the fallen star was reacting to the stone he had, the one he’d gotten in Kalos. 

“It’s all yours, Hop,” Reese nodded to the boy as his face lit up at the words. 

“Are you sure?!” Dreepy flitted over and dropped the star into his outstretched hands. “Aw, thanks, mate! You’re one bang-up guy!” 

“Bang-up guy?” Reese muttered. “The fuck? First I’ve been called that.” 

Well, so long as that star stayed far away from him, he didn’t care what the hell Hop called him. Dreepy cooed happily as it came to rest on his shoulder, nuzzling his neck. 

“Good job, Dreepy,” he reached up and pat its head, making it coo again. 

It was...strangely adorable. 

“I can make this into a Dynamax Band, yes,” Magnolia was saying to the brothers, who looked quite excited. “Are you familiar with Dynamaxing, Hop?” 

“That’s when the Pokemon get really big, isn’t it?” the boy responded. “I’ve seen it loads of times on the telly!” 

Uh, say what? Pokemon getting really big? That sounded much different than Mega Evolution. 

Reese sighed and shook his head. “I’m going to head back home to pack some things before leaving for Motostoke. Good luck with whatever you’re doing.” 

He turned and walked away before they could protest, and he heard Dusknoir giving Charizard another warning before floating after its charge. 

“Noir,” the ancient ghost said as it hovered at his side. 

“It’s that strong, huh?” Reese murmured, his chest twinging as the keystone pulsed with spiritual energy. “Well, it is a Champion’s Charizard.” 

The voices came back, crying and screaming or gibbering like madmen. It would have driven anyone mad, to be honest, and perhaps Reese had gone mad centuries ago and was simply blundering around in some semblance of stability. 

He moved through the haze of screaming voices as swirling shadows and empty faces filled his vision, trusting Dusknoir to guide him back to the house without making a fool of himself. 

“Excuse me? Sir?” a different voice echoed from the haze, and Reese became aware of someone tugging on his sleeve. “Sir?” 

He stopped and shook his head to chase away the haze, only succeeding marginally as he turned. “Sorry, I was lost in thought. Can I help you?” 

There were two rather attractive young women standing behind him: one with long orange-red hair, with heart accessories tied into the strands, who wore a simple tank top and green jacket over white pants and another with black hair tucked up beneath a wide-brimmed hat, her eyes as blue as the streaks in her hair. 

The one with streaked hair was tugging on his sleeve, her clothes equally dark as his own as she held out her other hand. 

“You dropped this,” she said, and Reese jolted at the sight of the small marble-like gem nestled in her palm, encased in a glassy necklace with a simple chain. 

His hand went to his pocket, patting empty space. “Huh, I guess I didn’t put it all the way in my pocket. Thank you.” 

“It’s quite a pretty marble!” the other woman said, offering a bright smile. “I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I swear I’ve seen that design somewhere.” 

Ah, she meant the leaf-like emblem etched onto the gem, which boasted a full rainbow spectrum of bright colors. It was a Mega Key Stone, and it appeared the rumors of Mega Evolution not having any presence in Galar were true. Instead, they had this thing called Dynamax. 

Reese reached out and took the gem from the woman offering it, draping the chain over his head and tucking the Key Stone beneath his shirt as cool metal made his flesh erupt in goosebumps. “Thank you. I would not have enjoyed losing it.” 

“Say, did you just come from my Gran’s house, by chance?” the orange-haired woman asked. 

“Your Gran is Professor Magnolia?” Reese guessed, at which she nodded. 

“Yup! My name’s Sonia!” the woman stuck her hand out. 

“Reese. She said that you improved this Pokedex she gave me, so thank you for that as well,” he shook the offered limb, not missing the pride that shone within her eyes at his words. 

“Aw, it was nothing! I take it you’re the other Challenger that Leon was talking about?” she asked. 

Did she personally know the Champion or something? 

“I guess I am,” Reese shrugged, noting that the other woman was staring at something on the ground. “Is everything alright?” 

She blinked and looked back up at him, nodding so rapidly she almost lost her hat. “Me? Yeah, I’m fine. I thought I saw something in your shadow for a moment.” 

“My shadow?” cold fingers pressed through his body, followed by another whisper from the keystone. 

“Release us!” 

The woman nodded. “It looked...circular, for a moment, like it was rotating or something.” 

Spiritomb. 

“Ghost Pokemon like to especially play pranks on me for some reason,” Reese rolled a lie and a truth together in one. “I had a Ghastly following me around for a while, so maybe it’s still lingering somewhere, I don’t know. It’s damn annoying.” 

“I know how you feel,” Sonia shuddered. “I was checking out those old tower ruins in the Wild Area a while back for my Gran and this Ghastly would not leave me alone. I was sick for days afterwards from the gases it was emitting.” 

“I’m glad you didn’t have a worse reaction to it,” Reese nodded sympathetically. “I’ve heard of people who nearly died from being exposed to a Ghastly for too long.” 

“I’m glad, too. She looked awful,” the unnamed woman shook her head. 

Sonia huffed in false indignation, but she was grinning. “Aw, Nessie, I didn’t think you cared!” 

‘Nessie’ gave her a world-weary side eye. “Funny, Sonia, very funny. So, you’re participating in the Gym Challenge?” 

“I am, mostly due to Hop and Leon’s urging along with Dusknoir volunteering me,” Reese drawled, shooting a glare at the ghost. 

It grunted at him, rolling its eye. 

“Oh, I’ll come to thank you for it later?” Reese snorted. “We’ll see about that.” 

Sonia laughed, and even Nessie smiled at their bantering. 

Dreepy lifted off his shoulder and did another acrobatic flip through the air before landing on top of his head with a squeal. 

“Oh, a Dreepy!” Sonia beamed. “I’ve never seen one around here before! They’re so small and cute! And he looks pretty strong, too.” 

“Don’t feed its ego,” Reese sighed as he felt the Pokemon preening with pride and satisfaction from atop his head. And how did they not see it sooner? 

“I’d move quickly if you want to register for the Challenge,” Nessie spoke up. “The opening ceremony is being held in Motostoke tomorrow.” 

Tomorrow?! Damn it all! 

He must have been making an unpleasant face, since Sonia stepped forward. “It’s okay! There’s still plenty of time to get to the city and register!” 

“Ah, I didn’t mean to worry you,” he rubbed the back of his head. “I’m just not too familiar with Galar’s geography, given that I only arrived yesterday.” 

Nessie raised an eyebrow at that. “If you only got here yesterday, how did you buy property here?” 

“I looked at the property online and got in touch with an agent,” Reese answered. “I have the necessary permits and everything. I just, uh, didn’t pay too much attention to the rest of the region.” 

“Why Postwick, though?” Nessie asked. “There are plenty of other towns and cities you could have stayed in.” 

“It’s more peaceful and isolated, which is what I was looking for,” Reese replied, glancing at Dusknoir. “Or it was until Hop’s whole family came knocking on my door.” 

Sonia laughed at that. “Hop’s a good kid! Leon and I took part in the first Gym Challenge together, before Galar had a Champion, and I’ve known his family my whole life.” 

Ah, so they were close friends. Interesting. 

“I imagine they were quite a handful growing up,” Reese shook his head. 

“They were,” Sonia laughed. “Oh! I’ve got to get back to the lab! I’ll talk to you later, Ness!” 

Nessie rolled her eyes but smiled. “Business calls to me, too. I’ll treat you to that café in Motostoke, the one with the really good cake.” 

“Oh, I love that place!” Sonia beamed. “You’re the best! Good luck with everything, Reese!” 

“Thanks,” Reese nodded as she ran off before glancing at Nessie. “Take care.” 

“You too. I hope to see you in Motostoke,” she smiled before turning and walking towards the station. 

Reese made the journey home in silence, noting that the herds of Wooloo were no longer in the fields. Where the hell had they gone? No matter: he didn’t have to endure their incessant bleating so he might as well enjoy the peace while he could. 

“Noir,” Dusknoir murmured. 

“I know we just got the place and don’t have anyone to look after it, but I highly doubt anyone is going to break into it,” Reese dismissed its concerns. “Besides, what are they going to steal? Clothes? Silverware? We can easily replace those. I have everything of value on me here.” 

Namely, the Mega Key Stone, the Pokedex and his jacket. And speaking of the Pokedex... 

“Alright, you can come out now,” he said to the presence he could feel in the device, which buzzed and floated out as if connected to a string. 

“Hello there, _bzzt_!” the face of a Rotom was staring back at him, a devilish smile on the device beneath its eyes. “I’m happy to meet you!” 

“Why stay silent? I know Rotom are being used for a lot of electronics nowadays,” Reese rarely enjoyed dealing with the mischievous creatures, given their perchance for following him around and frying everything they touched. 

“Oh, _bzzt_ , I wanted to wait until we were alone!” the Rotom answered. “You seem kinda jumpy, what with that Pokemon inside of you!” 

Reese grabbed it before it could blather any further, making it yelp in surprise. “You keep that to yourself, you hear? Things won’t go well if people learn of this...condition of mine.” 

He’d been called a demon or a monster many times in the past, with people attempting to imprison or kill him in the earlier years of this curse. Thankfully, he’d learned his lesson quickly and gotten much more efficient at disguising it. 

“O-of course! I’m sorry for _bzzt_ upsetting you!” it stammered through whatever device was giving it a voice. “My lips are sealed! Oh, and I have the capabilities to open a map of the region, guided by satellite positioning, at any time! You just _bzzt_ have to ask!” 

“Thank you. I’ll call on you if I need your services,” Reese released the poor creature. “I apologize for scaring you: this is simply a touchy subject for me.” 

“ _Bzzt_ no harm done! I’ll be discrete from here on out, sir!” it vowed. “You know where to find me!” 

The Rotom-dex zipped back into his pocket and went still, the Ghost-type perhaps going dormant. 

“Dusknoir,” the other ghost mused. 

“It is interesting, right?” Reese chuckled. “I think I’ll like it. Alright, let’s just pack some clothes and food for the journey and get down to the station.” 

He strode up to his front door and tried the simple brass knob, but it refused to budge. He pulled out the key his agent had given him and then slid it into the keyhole, feeling the tumblers retract as he turned it. 

“You did lock up. Good,” he said to Dusknoir as he entered the dark interior, with Dreepy taking off to float over to where a small pile of berries was resting on the kitchen counter. “This shouldn’t take long.” 

Dusknoir flipped on the lights and cruised towards the cabinets, rifling through their contents while Reese headed into his own room. He retrieved his over-the-shoulder travel bag and set it on the bed before pulling out a few sets of clothes from his closet and pushing them inside. Easy to maintain and not too heavy, so this should suffice for a short journey around the island. 

Reese slung the bag over his shoulder and strode back into the kitchen, where Dusknoir had set aside some cans of vegetables and dried meat along with a hand-held can opener and some protein bars. 

“Good haul,” Reese nodded and placed the food in his satchel, glancing over as Dreepy glutted itself on the Berries he had gathered. “We’ll have to get some more Berries in Windhurst. I think there was a sign for a Berry Shop over there.” 

Dreepy squeaked happily and alighted on top of his head again, curling into a ball amongst his hair. 

Reese shut the bag and strode out the door, turning off the lights and shutting the door behind him. “Well, so much for peace and quiet. Maybe this will be a nice change of pace.” 

Dusknoir phased through the wall and glanced back at the house before nodding. “Noir.” 

“We’ll see, Dusknoir, we’ll see,” Reese shook his head. “Let’s just get this over with.” 

He strode down Postwick’s dusty roads back to Wedgehurst, ignoring the yellow dog-like Pokemon that snarled at him from alongside their owners. 

“Hey! Reese!” A voice from the station made him pause as he made to pass it, his gaze picking out Nessie as she waved to him from within. “Over here!” 

He strode over to her, passing through the open door to the concourse that awaited. “Nessie. Everything alright?” 

She nodded. “You packed up pretty quickly, huh? The next train is about to leave.” 

“When’s the next one?” Reese asked, at which she pointed at a digital board displaying different times. 

“Not until six, so you’d be stuck here for a while.” 

“Damn,” he muttered. “So much for stopping for Berries.” 

Nessie shrugged. “There are plenty of other places you can find some, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Would you like to accompany me since you’re not too familiar with Galar?” 

Well, perhaps it would be beneficial to ask her more about this Challenge...what did he have to lose aside from his sanity? 

“Sure. I’ll go get a ticket,” Reese strode up to the clerk and quickly purchased one, striding back right as a bell tolled twice. 

“Attention: the rail to Motostoke is departing shortly. Please board.” 

“There’s our cue,” Nessie mused. 

They pushed through the glass doors onto the train itself, quickly finding empty seats and situating themselves in them. 

More than a few passengers did a double take when they saw Nessie, but they looked away when Reese shot them a pointed glare. Dusknoir hovering behind him didn’t hurt, either. 

“It seems you’re quite popular here,” Reese murmured, settling into the cushioned chair and feeling Dreepy stir on his head. 

Nessi nodded and pulled her hat down a little further. “I’m a model, but I’m trying not to draw too much attention.” 

A model? Well, he could believe it: she certainly had the bearing for it. 

“I see. I’ll try not to be conspicuous so we can avoid undue attention,” Reese said, at which she gave him an appreciative smile. 

The train jolted as it started forward, and Reese looked out the window as the countryside started to slowly pass by. 

“So, you said you were a traveler?” Nessi said after a time of comfortable silence. “Where are you coming from?” 

“Alola,” Reese answered. “I’ve traveled from Sinnoh to Unova, from there to Kalos and Hoenn, Johto, and then to Alola.” 

“And then Alola to here,” Nessi nodded. “You’ve come quite a ways, haven’t you?” 

“That’s putting it mildly,” he chuckled. “And I know I’ll have to keep going someday. My journey is far from over.” 

She gave him a strange look. “Why do you say that?” 

“It’s always been that way for me,” Reese answered, purposely keeping it vague. 

“A curious way of putting it,” Nessi mused. 

The train began to slow, and she looked up, confusion on her face. 

“What’s wrong?” Reese glanced out the window as they rattled into another station before grinding to a stop. 

“This isn’t Motostoke,” Nessi replied as she stood. “We’re still a couple stations away.” 

“Attention passengers,” the PA blared. “Due to an unprecedented amount of Wooloo on the tracks, we are having to stop at the Wild Area Station. Their keepers say they should clear the tracks within the next few hours or so and get them back to Postwick post-haste.” 

“Postwick?” Nessi repeated. “How did they get here from Postwick?” 

Reese fought the urge to slam his head into the table between him and Nessi. Those Arceus-damned Wooloo who’d run away from him earlier. Of course they had to fucking end up here. 

“If you’d like to traverse the Wild Area to Motostoke, please depart the station and head out, but if you’d prefer to wait for the train, there is a café right outside where you can wait. Thank you for your patience and for choosing Macro Cosmos Railways for your traveling pleasure!” 

“I have little desire to sit around and wait,” Reese sighed as he pushed himself up to stand. 

“You read my mind,” Nessi grinned. “Shall we?” 

Dusknoir grunted and phased through the wall, leaving the two mortals-more so one and a half, give or take-to take the long way as other passengers disembarked as well, most of them flocking towards the café. 

“So, what’s the story with the Dusknoir?” Nessi asked as they strode through the station, shoes clicking against stone while delectable scents from the café wafted over. 

“Just decided to follow me around one day after we ran into each other in Sinnoh,” Reese answered. “Doesn’t want to get caught but it helps me against wild Pokemon that attack me, so long as I’m not provoking them.” 

Nessi gave him another strange look. “You say that as if it happens a lot.” 

You have no fucking idea. 

“Let’s just say most wild Pokemon don’t have a great love for me,” Reese replied. 

Unless they were Dark or Ghost types. Thanks, Spiritomb. 

“If you say so,” Nessi muttered. “Should I stay a certain distance away from you or what?” 

Reese shrugged. “Oh, I’m sure they’ll leave you alone while they’re gunning for me. If worst comes to worst, just throw me at them and run.” 

She actually snickered at that. “I’m sure we’ll be fine.” 

They strode out a door with a WILD AREA sign flashing on top of it, and Reese paused as the sight before them took his breath away. 

Massive didn’t even begin to cover the size of the Wild Area: it spread out for miles in every direction beyond the fenced-in station’s yard, filled with rolling plains, glistening rivers and lakes, and sprawling forests. A walled city rose from the distance, with bridges crossing over a valley to the east, and Reese could see some sort of ruined man-made structure in front of the western walls. 

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Nessi chuckled. “I prefer Hulbury’s oceans, myself, but this place never ceases to amaze me. That’s the tower Sonia was talking about, by the way, the one that’s infested with Ghost types. Luckily, we won’t have to get close to it: the place creeps me out.” 

Reese nodded. “I take it that’s Motostoke there?” 

“Yes. Might take an hour or so to cross over there, but we should be fine,” Nessi gave him a rather nefarious grin. “Might take longer if I have to throw you at some Wild Pokemon.” 

“Let us hope it doesn’t come to that,” Reese muttered as the duo strode forward. 

Honestly, how bad could it be? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before anyone points out that I misspelled Nessa's name as 'Nessi', I had Sonia call her it as a nickname and her real name was never once mentioned, so Reese thinks her name is Nessi rather than Nessa.


	3. The Cost of a Curse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to apologize for the error I'd made when I was writing Nessa's nickname, Nessie, in the previous chapter. Somewhere along the way, I started writing it as Nessi rather than Nessie, but I guess I didn't notice because they sounded the same regardless.

Not even ten minutes. That’s all it took for everything to turn to shit. 

“Run! Keep running!” Reese yelled over the stream of expletives running rampant through his mind as he, Dusknoir, and Nessie fled full speed from a horde of Bunnelby and Diggersby that had made it their life’s mission to bury the party in bullets of mud. How long had they been running since then? 

Dreepy was clinging to Reese’s head for dear life, and he could hear the little Pokemon screaming for mercy and for him to run faster as trees and shrubs shot past in a green blur. They were running on the western side of one of the large lakes, trying to use the trunks for cover. 

“I am already beginning to regret this!” Nessie shouted at his side, her black hat having been blasted off by a Mud Shot and leaving her blue-streaked hair to billow wildly behind her. 

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you!” Reese ducked to avoid a mud bullet, wincing as his satchel bounced painfully against his side. 

“I didn’t think it would be this bad!” she retorted. “I only thought that Onix was giving you a funny look!” 

“It was!” Reese dared to look over his shoulder at the scores of mud rabbits and saw some Butterfree fluttering in to strafe the group. “Arceus damn it! Why is it always the fucking Bug types that hate me the most?!” 

“You could have mentioned that sooner!” Nessie ducked as a multicolored Signal Beam streaked over her head. “Any other types that hate you more than anything?!” 

“Fighting types and Fairy types, mostly! Everything else just wants to beat me into the ground, but those three types really want to kill me for some reason!” Reese yelled back. “If you want to run, Dusknoir can get you out of here while I lead these things somewhere else!” 

He would gladly take everything and their hatred in order to ensure that this damn curse never hurt anyone else. 

“Noir?!” 

“Don’t argue with me! Just do as I say!” Reese barked, his eyes going ahead to where the ancient ruins protruded from the earth way in the distance. “You said that tower is a haven for Ghost types, right?” 

Nessie gave him a wide-eyed stare. “Are you insane?! Those Pokemon drive away everything that gets too close to it! Nobody goes near it, not even other Pokemon!” 

“That’s what I’m counting on!” Reese shouted back, jumping over a fallen log. “Ghost types like me a lot more than most other Pokemon types! Just look at Dreepy and Dusknoir!” 

“Noir!” the ancient spirit protested. 

“I agree with Dusknoir: this is insane! Let’s get to the lake!” Nessie yelled. “I have a gift with Water types!” 

“You do, I don’t!” Reese retorted. “They’ll try to drown me the second I get in!” 

“You can’t be serious!” Nessie grabbed his wrist and tugged him towards the shore, almost making him trip over his own feet. “Come on, damn it!” 

A bullet of mud sheared through the trees overhead, shaking leaves from the limbs and making them spiral gently downwards. 

“Sorry, but I’d rather not risk you any more than I already have,” Reese planted his heels in the ground and pulled himself free. “Dusknoir.” 

Nessie stopped, her mouth open for an annoyed retort when Dusknoir’s thick arms took hold of her and lifted her into the air. 

“Reese! Damn it, Dusknoir, grab him, too!” the woman yelled, trying to thrash as the ghost carried her over the lake towards the long stairway leading into the city proper. 

Now, it was time for him to run like hell. 

Reese ducked another shot and pushed himself even faster while Dreepy continued screaming on his head. A bunch of hard seeds shot over his head in a stream and burst against another tree. 

“Damn it, what’s trying to hurt me now?” Reese saw a bunch of Seedot and Roselia taking aim at him. “Well, fuck you too.” 

Another multicolored beam gouged through the soil next to him, spraying him with clods of dirt. Spiritomb stirred, screeching its own anger at their pursuers and making them even more intent on beating the hells out of him. 

“Spiritomb, you are not helping!” he pushed his legs even harder, the forest blending into a blurred mess as he ran, unsure how long he’d been on this mad dash when he burst through the brush into a clearing. 

The sun was getting low in the horizon over the tower that loomed overhead, and Reese’s chest was burning as he almost sighed in relief before pushing himself towards the last stretch. 

There were Ghastly, Haunter, Driftloon, and Duskull everywhere, their attention going to him as he drew closer and closer. 

“You might want to run!” he yelled at them. 

They took one look at the horde chasing him and, instead of running, floated forward to challenge them. Darkness gathered in their limbs and then streamed outwards in spectral orbs. Reese grabbed Dreepy and held it close to him as threw himself down and hit the ground hard, the impact making his eyes rattle in his skull as dirt filled his mouth. 

He heard the explosions behind him and the dirt bunnies screaming in pain, and he had to admit he felt a grin cure his lips despite the pain racking his chest. 

Suck it, nuisances! Now get the hell out of here! 

A couple thin inhuman arms wrapped around his and pulled him up, the faces of the Driftloon staring into his souls and the hundred and eight souls trapped inside of him. 

“Thanks,” he said to them as they hauled him towards the tower while the rest of the Ghosts continued trading fire with his pursuers. 

“Loon!” one of the balloon-like Pokemon chirped. 

“It’s nice to know that you guys accept me as one of your own, at least,” Reese sighed, glancing down at the Dreepy in his arms. “You okay, Dreepy?” 

It nodded and cooed, curling into his arms. 

A bullet seed careened over his head and shattered against the stone with a sharp pop, and Reese eased himself over fallen stone chunks as cold air blasted him from a hole in the ruined tower. The structure looked ancient, maybe older than him, and it leaned slightly to the side as if starting to be swallowed by the earth. 

The Driftloon guided him into the hole in the tower and he peered back at the battle unfolding behind him. 

The mud bunny horde had split up and scattered in several directions as the tower Pokemon either strafed them again and again with dark orbs or elongated shadows. Ghastly were chasing Butterfree in the canopy, flailing their tongues like whips as they pursued their poor prey. The Roselia and Seedot scrambled for cover as Driftloon dive-bombed them, flinging blades of wind from their stringy limbs. 

A Duskull cried out as several bullets of mud splattered across it, making the Ghost crash into a shrub. A Diggersby slammed its huge arm-ears into the ground and a bunch of razor-sharp stones materialized in front of it, then shot towards a pair of Driftloon, punching the Pokemon from the sky. 

“Damn it, I was hoping they would have fled rather than risk fighting the Ghost types,” Reese swore, only for his Driftloon escorts to push him into the void of the tower. 

The air was cold and clammy as he climbed down an earthen incline, trying not to slide on it until he hit ground. He was in a den of sorts, carved into a cave beneath the tower as rubble and mostly rotted wooden stairs littered the ground. There were even rusted medieval weapons and shields with insignias that he couldn’t recognize stamped on them. 

“Why did you bring me here?” Reese asked, but the Driftloon were darting out one of the holes to rejoin the battle he could hear raging just outside. 

More Ghosts were emerging from the shadows of the den and doing the same, adding their cries to the din of explosions and crashing. 

Another presence drew Reese’s attention to further into the murky darkness of the den, where what looked like a sword and shield was hovering towards him with several smaller swords at its side. 

Ah, this must be the tower’s master! No wonder the Ghost types were so fiercely defensive of it! 

“I hope you can forgive me for bringing this trouble to your doorstep,” he’d learned from experience that this particular Pokemon was prideful and easily offended, especially in its own territory. “I was hoping my pursuers would flee rather than attack this place.” 

The Aegislash made a noise akin to drawing steel against stone, making him wince. 

The scores of Honedge and Doublade took off at their liege’s command, the bloodlust emanating from them making even Dreepy growl. 

“Easy, little one,” Reese said gently, rubbing its head with his fingers. 

Aegislash hovered closer, its eye glowing as its beautiful body shone in the light coming from one of the many holes in the tower’s structure. The royal Pokemon screeched again, but its words were gentle. 

“You swore to protect everyone who needs your help here? Even though I was being chased by those Pokemon and led them here?” Reese bowed his head at the tower’s master. “Yours is a noble spirit, my friend.” 

It pulled its fan-like arms out from behind its back and placed one on Reese’s shoulder, its wispy touch firm yet gentle at the same time. It even patted Dreepy’s head, earning a happy squeal from the little dragon. 

Then Aegislash paused, backing away and whirling to present its back to Reese as it tucked its arms into position. 

“Noir,” Dusknoir emerged from the shadows, its antenna pulsing. 

“Is Nessie safe?” Reese asked, ignoring its comment on the battle outside. 

It nodded, bowing its conical head to Aegislash as the royal Pokemon relaxed. The Aegislash welcomed Dusknoir and then lifted itself out of the tower, its shriek rattling the walls and giving Reese another headache before disappearing outside. 

“Dusknoir.” 

Reese nodded in agreement. “Think you can help me get up there? I’d rather not just sit back while Aegislash and its friends fight off the Pokemon that followed me here.” 

Dusknoir grabbed his shoulders and hauled him up as Dreepy freed itself to fly at their sides, and it carried Reese through the hole into a battlefield. 

The Bunnelby and Diggersby were being steadily pushed back even as they traded attacks with the defending Ghost types, the numerous sword Pokemon spinning like fans as they chewed through their invaders with ease. Other Pokemon from the forest and nearby lake had joined in the melee: some Crabby and Kingler were trying to bash through a grouping of Doublade and Dusclops while several Stufful and a Bewear were fleeing from Aegislash as it swung its glowing, bladed body in graceful arcs behind them. 

The Bewear picked up a boulder and hurled it at Aegislash, but the royal Pokemon slashed through the attack with ease before gathering a blob of light into its free hand and hurling it. 

“Flash Cannon and Sacred Sword? This Aegislash is quite versatile,” Reese murmured as the stuffy bear Pokemon vanished in an explosion before its unconscious body tumbled onto the dirt. 

“Noir,” even Dusknoir was impressed, but the spirit kept its powerful body in between Reese and the attackers as Pokemon continued battering one another all around them. 

Reese looked around at the debacle, a lump forming in his throat as he took in the injured Ghost types being defended by their friends. Dark and Ghost type Pokemon had come to his aid in the wild before, but he’d never caused a battle this large to break out between the different groups. 

His stomach churned and dropped into his very soul as guilt rippled in his gut. 

Why did he have to induce pain and hate everywhere he went? 

“Dusk,” Dusknoir pointed a thick finger upwards, and Reese followed its gesture to see a giant bird Pokemon carrying what looked like a sort of carriage in its massive talons. 

“What? Air taxi?” Reese repeated, his heart skipping a beat as the bird carrying the taxi suddenly shrieked and banked to dive towards him. “Oh, fuck.” 

The massive, black armored bird appeared to have a man riding on its back, who was flailing and shouting in alarm as it streaked earthwards with a roar. The air taxi and the rider were dumped onto the ground with a crash as the bird twisted its body, powerful wings pounding the air as it beelined right for Reese. 

“Corviknight, stop! What’re you doing?!” the rider was wearing an aviator’s jacket and tight cap along with goggles, pushing himself up off the ground and spitting out a clod of grass. 

Corviknight, eh? At least he knew the name of the certain death streaking towards him. 

Aegislash dropped down in front of Reese, back in its defensive stance while it screeched, its body glowing as a wall of light flared before its great body. Corviknight’s raised talons slammed into the wall with a loud, grating crash followed by an enraged shriek. 

The great bird tumbled back, its armored body gouging furrows into the earth as it scrabbled to get its footing back with talons large enough to shred boulders. 

“Corviknight! Enough!” the poor taxi driver was scrabbling towards his Pokemon, waving his arms as he shouted. “Stop! Stop!” 

Aegislash’s wall of light fell, but it kept its body in between Reese and the Corviknight as the massive bird’s red eyes glared at hole into Reese’s many souls. The Corviknight opened its vicious, serrated beak to shriek again, only to vanish in a beam of red light. 

“Hoo! I am so sorry about that!” the winded cabby wheezed, looking back at his discarded taxi as he put his Pokeball on his belt. “I sure am glad I wasn’t carrying anyone! Say, what’s going on here?” 

Reese glanced back at the battle to see that the invaders had retreated, carrying or dragging their unconscious brethren away with them while the Ghost types let loose victorious cries. 

Aegislash screeched its own victory cry before turning back to Reese and bowing, which he quickly returned before the Pokemon floated back into its den with its retinue of Doublade and Honedge at its back. 

Injured Ghost types limped inside as well, aided by friends as they entered the den’s cool grasp. 

“Hey, sir, did a fight happen here or something?” the cabby asked, gaping at the craters and other blast marks that scored the ground around the tower. 

“Yeah,” Reese nodded slowly. “A pretty big one.” 

“I’ll say!” a female voice declared, making both of them jump and turn to where a woman in black and white dress clothes strode up, a microphone in her hand. “That was incredible!” 

The man at her side was wearing a logo t-shirt and khakis as he hefted a large camera on his shoulder, aiming it directly at Reese. A reporter...damn it. 

“Did you see the whole thing?” Reese scowled, noting the blinking light on the camera that indicated it was in use at the moment. 

The woman nodded enthusiastically. “I’ve never seen wild Pokemon fighting each other in such large groups before, especially the tower Pokemon! To think that they actually let you inside the tower and defended it from those other ones! Why did they protect you, do you know?” 

Reese shook his head, turning to the cabby as Dusknoir blocked the camera with its body. “Are you alright, sir? You took quite the spill.” 

“Me? Oh, I’m fine!” the man nodded, wiping at the sweat on his face. “Corviknight’s never done that before. I have no clue why it tried to attack you.” 

“It’s not the first,” Reese muttered, shaking his head. 

“So I saw!” the reporter declared. “I saw you come bursting out of that forest with a horde of Bunnelby and Diggersby right on your heels! And a bunch of other Pokemon came out to attack you, too!” 

“Really? You must have really angered them, but that doesn’t explain Corviknight...” the cabby sighed. “I’ll, uh, wait a while before I bring the old boy back out.” 

“I apologize for the trouble,” Reese sighed, feeling Dreepy alight on top of his head again. “Let’s go, Dusknoir.” 

“W-wait!” the reporter stammered as he tried to move around her and the camera. “There’s so many questions I’d like to ask you! Why were those Pokemon attacking you? Do you know that Aegislash and the other tower Pokemon?” 

Reese ignored her and kept walking as she and her cameraman stumbled after him, the woman still firing off questions until she finally realized he wasn’t going to answer and fell silent. 

At least nobody had been seriously injured, but the guilt of seeing the Pokemon that had been hurt still boiled in his chest. 

“Dusknoir,” his protector said gently, sensing his toiling emotions. 

Reese shook his head and kept walking towards the distant stairway, Spiritomb stirring inside of him and murmuring its own guilt. 

“It’s not your fault, Spiritomb, even though you did piss them off later,” Reese said to it. “Neither of us asked to be the most hated creature in the world just because of what was done to us.” 

After quite some time had passed, he wasn’t really sure how much, he finally reached the Arceus-damned staircase leading into the city. He could hear the rattling and groaning of metal being accompanied by steam from inside, along with rushing water and voices from several people. 

“Hey! Reese!” Nessie was sprinting towards him from the stairs, relief on her face as she rapidly closed the distance between them. “Oh, thank goodness you’re alright!” 

“I’m glad you’re safe, too,” he exhaled, a weight lifting from his body. 

Nessie stopped in front of him, her eyes roaming his body for injuries before she punched him in the shoulder. “That was for having your Dusknoir kidnap me.” 

Reese rolled with the blow, ignoring the pain that came from it as he nodded. “Yeah, I deserved that. But I’m glad you weren’t in the middle of that.” 

“You and me, both,” Nessie sighed, brushing some hair over her shoulder. “That video was horrifying to see.” 

Wait, what? 

“Video?” Reese scowled at her. “What video?” 

Nessie nodded. “That reporter you met works for the Motostoke News. Her cameraman recorded the entire thing and broadcasted it to screens all over the city.” 

Fuck. Fuck! FUCK! 

“I’m just glad they started recording after Dusknoir dropped me off,” Nessie continued. “That would have been embarrassing if they’d seen me like that. But, how are you feeling? That had to have been terrifying.” 

Reese sighed. “I’ve been attacked before, but not on that scale. I’ve never had so many Pokemon fighting because of me...getting hurt because of me...” 

Part of him wanted to grab medicine from the stores and run back out to the tower, or even just get some Berries for the Pokemon, but they healed best on their own. They always had. 

Nessie paused, her face softening while she lifted her hand as if to reach out to him before hesitating. “I...I’m sorry. Come on, I’ll show you where to register for the Gym Challenge.” 

Reese trudged up the brown stairs at her side, moving in silence as they trekked across a long bridge to a city comprised of brown warehouse-like buildings and skyscrapers that filled the air with gouts of steam. He could see gears rotating all over the city, metal grinding as wheels large enough to crush his new house did their work. 

“Oh, is that him?” a small crowd of people were clustered together, watching a large screen affixed to a wall. 

The reporter that had accosted him was standing onscreen, her voice echoing from the screen’s audio: “The Pokemon appeared to have settled down, but there is still no answer as to why they had pursued that Trainer so adamantly or why the Pokemon in the tower had been so determined to defend him. The air taxi serviceman whose own Corviknight-” 

Reese tuned out what she was saying and stormed down the main street he could see, ignoring people calling out to him from the shops on either side. Nessie jogged at his side, and he saw her reach up for a hat that was no longer on her head. 

“I’m sorry about the trouble,” he said to her. “I’ll pay for another hat if you need one. It’s the least I can do after dragging you into that.” 

“Oh, it’s no trouble,” Nessie shook her head. “I’ve got loads of hats back home I can use.” 

He saw a massive gear set into the middle of the wall at the end of the street, with a sort of platform affixed to it as more screens lining the walls showed the air taxi cabby talking to the reporter. 

“It was the strangest thing I’ve ever seen, swear on me life!” the man was saying. “Corviknight made for that guy like he was a choice cut of meat! It’s never done that before!” 

He strode up to the lift and boarded it, scowling at the controls on the pedestal. 

“This one,” Nessie pulled a lever and the platform jolted. 

Reese grabbed the railing as the wheel rotated, swinging the platform upwards and leaving his stomach on the lower levels of the city. 

“It takes some getting used to,” Nessie groaned, a warmth gripping his hand. 

Reese glanced down to see that her hand had grabbed his, the other gripping the railing as she steadied herself. 

“Can I have my hand back?” he asked, at which she glanced down and quickly released him. 

“Sorry! I thought that was one of the handles,” she said, face dark with embarrassment. 

Reese looked over at the massive building towering above him, some sort of helmet emblazoned on the large rug before elaborate glass doors, flames spread in an X shape on the helmet. 

“Welcome to Motostoke Stadium,” Nessie declared, and the first thing to draw Reese’s attention was the guy with a pokeball on his head. 

“What the fuck is that?” he whispered, making Nessie look at him in confusion before she saw the object of his regard. 

“What? Oh, that’s just the Ball Guy,” she said with a dismissive wave. “He’s the mascot for the Gym Challenge. He’s pretty friendly even if he is a bit strange, but I think that’s just him staying in character.” 

“Poor bastard must be sweltering in that hat,” Reese chuckled, shaking his head as he watched said poor bastard get mobbed by children. 

Nessie laughed as well. “You can register at the desk inside, just talk to the League staff. I have to get ready for tomorrow, so I’m afraid I’ll have to take off here. There’s an inn just over there where they’re letting Challengers stay.” 

She pointed at a tall building off to the left of the massive stadium, a green sign atop it that said BUDEW DROP INN on it. 

“It’s fine, I don’t really blame you for wanting to get the hell away from me,” Reese chuckled, bitterness tainting his tongue. 

Nessie gently squeezed his shoulder, a sympathetic expression he was more than familiar with on her face. “I’m not in any hurry to get away from you, you know. I’d like to talk to you more, but I have a lot to do. I’ll see you again tomorrow, okay?” 

“See you,” he nodded. 

She jogged down the street on the left, turning around a corner by a Pokemon Center and vanishing from his sight. 

Reese strode towards the stadium, ignoring the whispers from the people watching him as the doors swung open to give him entry. There were banners and little kiosks everywhere inside, along with dozens of chattering young men and women wearing similar white uniforms with numbers emblazoned on them. A red and blue pokeball symbol was emblazoned everywhere, and Reese assumed that was the symbol of the Challenge, along with a figure that looked similar to Leon, as he strode down the central aisle past clusters of cushioned couches, chairs, and vending machines. 

A man with a white uniform, cap, and colorful tinted sunglasses was standing behind the brick desk at the end of the aisle, who offered Reese a practiced smile as he approached. 

“If you’re here for the Gym Challenge, I’ll need to see your endorsement, please,” he recited with the crisp precision of a man who’d been saying that same sentence all day. 

“Of course,” Reese reached into his jacket and found the envelope, only now focusing on the whispers from the people around him as he offered it to the employee. 

“Is that him? From the video?” 

“From the tower?” 

“I think so: he has the Dreepy and Dusknoir.” 

“What’s with that weird jacket he’s wearing?” 

“Rude. My jacket’s not weird,” Reese snapped at the last one, the girl who’d spoken yelping and hiding behind her friend. 

They all seemed to be in their late teens or early twenties, he realized, even the black-haired girl who was watching him from beside a vending machine. She looked like the poster girl for a punk rock band, wearing spiked bracelets and black leather jacket along with a short pink dress and tall black boots. Her ears were pierced and she had a purple-red Y-shaped necklace dangling in front of her shirt, but he had no idea what it meant. 

“Fancy that!” the League staff member exclaimed. “This is the first time we’ve had a Challenger endorsed by the Champion!” 

The whispers increased. 

“What did he say?” 

“Endorsed by Champion Leon?” 

“Who is this guy?” 

“His jacket _is_ weird.” 

“Hey, fuck you,” Reese growled at the person who made the last comment, who flinched and averted his gaze while several others laughed at his expense. 

The League staff behind the desk coughed, and Reese glanced back at him. “You’ve been successfully registered as a Gym Challenger. You can now choose your preferred number for your uniform, if you’d be so kind?” 

“A number?” Reese frowned. 

He supposed it made sense: all the other Challengers had numbers on the backs of their uniforms, and he already saw one smart-ass who had 69 proudly emblazoned on theirs. 

“Yeah, the Challengers need a number,” the staff nodded. “It will be displayed on the back of the uniform you must wear during any official match.” 

Reese nodded, taking a moment to ponder when Dusknoir nudged him and offered its thoughts. The number it proposed was actually...intriguing, and Reese found himself agreeing. 

“563,” he said, and the staff typed something into his computer. 

“Number 563? Alright, you’re all set!” the man nodded, offering a band of sorts to be worn around the wrist. “Please wear this band to identify yourself as a Gym Challenger. The opening ceremony will be held here tomorrow, and all Trainers taking part have been booked a room at the Budew Drop Inn nearby.” 

Reese slipped the band over his hand and nodded, taking a moment to glare at his audience. “I’m surprised that everyone here is so close in age. Thought there’d be some younger people participating.” 

The League staff nodded when Reese looked back at him. “While Trainers are encouraged to start their journeys early, Chairman Rose felt it would be more appropriate for Galar to be represented by people who are more mature in regards to the Gym Challenge, especially if someone new were to become Champion. The minimum age for joining the Challenge is seventeen, but most of our Challengers are around twenty or older.” 

“I see. Makes sense: you wouldn’t want a ten-year-old or thirteen-year-old suddenly thrust into a position with responsibilities suited for someone more mature,” Reese nodded. 

Such restrictions didn’t really exist in the other regions: he’d seen Trainers as young as eight challenge Gyms in the past, but those challenges hadn’t been a massively popular sporting event like it was in Galar and the kids hadn’t exactly done well. 

Another little quirk that made the region so unique, but perhaps it wasn’t a bad thing. 

“You have the right of it!” the League staff nodded. “Have a good day, Challenger, uh, Reese!” 

“You, too,” Reese turned away from the desk and walked down the aisle, ignoring the whispers from the peanut gallery as Dreepy finally broke its silence with a cheerful squeak. “Excited, eh?” 

The dragon scuttled forward on his head and thrust its face into his own, staring upside down at him as it squealed again. 

“I imagine the others will be quite a challenge, as well,” Reese nodded carefully so as to not throw it off his head. “I’m actually looking forward to this.” 

He strode out the building and then went to his right towards the Budew Drop Inn, noticing a plethora of different banners bearing different symbols hanging from the walls next to the doors. One symbol was the strange-looking Y that that girl had been wearing around her neck. 

“Gym banners, maybe?” he mused, shuddering at the sight of the pink banner of what could only be a Fairy. “Fuck, there’s a Fairy Gym.” 

Dreepy squealed defiantly at the banner as it hauled itself back up, shaking a little nub at the pink fabric. 

Reese couldn’t stop himself from laughing as he continued past the pink banner of doom towards the Inn. “Yeah, we’ll get ‘em, Dreepy, whatever you say, little buddy.” 

He passed through another automatic glass door and found a golden statue of a man wearing unusual armor staring down at him in the foyer, lifting a sword in a heroic pose as a shield covered his side. 

“Interesting,” he muttered, moving past it to the upper part of the foyer where several uniformed Challengers were glaring at four miscreants dressed in black and light purple like that girl had been. 

“These Team Yell assholes aren’t letting us check in!” one boy complained. 

“Come on, move it!” a girl shouted. 

“Team Yell is here to cheer on all challengers! Especially one special challenger that we’re gonna make sure she’s cheered on nice an’ proper!” one of the miscreants yelled back as a very flustered clerk tried to stammer out something to them. “You’re in for a battle if you wanna stop us from...from...” 

The miscreant’s pink mohawk trembled as his gaze froze on Reese, his painted face paling as his eyes widened. “G-g-guys!” 

The other three turned around, their faces mimicking their friend’s as they actually backed into the desk. 

Were...they afraid of him? 

“Bloody hells,” one of the female Team Yell grunts stammered. “Are his eyes glowin’?” 

Glowing? What? 

“I-I-I think we should move!” another one spluttered. “This guy’s right terrifyin’!” 

“What are you lot doing here?” a female voice came from behind Reese, and he glanced over his shoulder to see that black-haired girl from before standing there, a displeased look on her face as she put her hands on her hips. A little hamster-like Pokemon was on her shoulder, watching in amusement while it chewed on a Berry. 

“Marnie?!” the grunts yelped, flailing their arms as they stammered out excuses. “N-n-nothing! We...we was just...” 

The girl named Marnie sighed and strode forward, but her expression softened. “I know you are all terribly curious ‘bout the other Gym Challengers, but you’ve gotta show a bit of restraint.” She turned to Reese and sighed. “Sorry ‘bout them! They’re a bunch of my fans: call themselves Team Yell and follow me around, cheerin’ for me. I think they’ve let it get to their heads a bit.” 

“A bit seems a bit of an understatement,” Reese shook his head, noting that she wasn’t freaking out over his ‘glowing’ eyes. 

“Come on, you lot! Back home with you, now!” she ordered the grunts, who all but fell over themselves scrambling down the stairs and piling out of the hotel. “They’re so caught up with wantin’ to support me that they tend to get shirty with the other Challengers. Sorry if they caused you any trouble.” 

“They troubled the others more than they did me,” Reese shrugged, gesturing at the Challengers who were now lining up to check in. “You’re a Challenger as well, then?” 

She nodded. “I’m from Spikemuth. You’re Reese, right?” 

“Yeah, and I’m guessing you’re Marnie,” he answered, at which she nodded again. “Good to meet you.” 

“You, too!” she looked behind him at Dusknoir. “Does your Dusknoir not like to be in its Pokeball?” 

“It never was in one,” Reese shook his head. “Dusknoir just decided it wanted to follow me around one day and never left.” 

Marnie gave him a surprised look. “Really? You musta been gobsmacked when it just showed up outta nowhere, huh?” 

“There’s a lot of things that had that effect on me,” Reese nodded. 

“Excuse me, are you two waiting to check in?” the clerk called out, and Reese glanced over to see that the other Challengers had left the foyer. 

“Yeah, sorry,” Reese strode up to the desk. 

“Your band?” the clerk asked, and Reese lifted his arm to offer him the Challenger band. He scanned it with some device, studying the computer screen as it beeped. “Ah, Master Reese, is it? The League has a room booked for you, and if I might say thank you for helping with that sticky situation with those hooligans. I hope you have a pleasant stay.” 

“I’m sorry ‘bout them,” Marnie said from behind, embarrassment in her voice. “I didn’t think they’d get so ornery.” 

The clerk offered Reese a card, which he took and glanced down at the writing embossed on it: 6th Floor. Room #243. 

“Your band, please.” 

“Course!” 

“Miss Marnie? Your room has also been booked. Have a pleasant stay, and do try to keep a tighter rein on your, ahem, fans, if you would.” 

“Y-yes, I’m so sorry ‘bout them! I didn’t wanna cause trouble!” 

Reese strode over to the elevator at the other side of the foyer and hit the call button. With a loud ding, the doors swung open to reveal a rather extravagant interior as he strode in. Dusknoir tried to follow, but its wide body wouldn’t fit in the doors. 

“You’ll have to take the long way, my friend,” Reese mused, at which the Ghost grunted unhappily before phasing through the ceiling. 

“Oh, wait up!” Marnie called, and he blocked the closing doors to let her dash in. “Thanks! What floor are you headin’ for?” 

“Sixth,” Reese answered, and she gave him a wry grin. 

“Me, too. What’s your room number?” she held up her card to show him hers. 

“Two Forty-Three,” he answered, then glanced at the number on hers. “Huh, looks like we’re neighbors: you have Two Forty-Four.” 

“Must be cause we signed up together,” Marnie mused, then coughed. “Er, I didn’t mean like that! We just signed up right about the same time!” 

This girl was strangely adorable, for being dressed the way she was and with so many hooligans acting as her fans. Reese had expected someone more...rebellious or whatnot. 

“It’s fine, I know what you meant,” he hit the number six button and the doors closed with a chime, and then the elevator started to rise. “Is this your first attempt at the Gym Challenge?” 

Marnie nodded. “Yup. My brother, Piers, is the Gym Leader for Spikemuth. I wanna prove to him that I’m strong enough to start takin’ my own path forward!” 

The hamster Pokemon on her shoulder chirped adamantly, making Dreepy do the same. 

“Morpeko is quite fired up!” Marnie laughed, reaching up and rubbing its cheek. “Your Dreepy looks excited, too!” 

“Your brother is a Gym Leader?” Reese mused as the elevator halted before opening with another chime. “You following in his footsteps?” 

“Not exactly, tho I know he wants me to take up the mantle one day,” she sighed, shaking her head as she hurried out past him. 

Reese followed her out into a rather cushy hallway lined with gleaming wooden doors, looking down and finding Dusknoir hovering outside one such door. “There.” 

“Huh? Oh, right!” Marnie fell into step next to him as they strode down the hall. “So, um, were you hurt at the tower?” 

Ah, so she’d seen it, too. 

“No, but the Pokemon who’d protected me weren’t so lucky,” he muttered. 

“Maybe we could take some medicine to ‘em?” Marnie mused. “Help ‘em heal up?” 

“Wild Pokemon heal best when they’re left alone,” Reese shook his head. “Which I learned the hard way after trying to take care of them, myself. All I did was get in the way.” 

“Oh,” Marnie murmured. 

They walked in silence to Dusknoir, who was floating before Door #243. 

“Looks like I’m right across from you,” Marnie went to the door opposite his and slid her card into the door’s slot, making it beep and unlock. “I, uh, I’ll see you tomorrow, Reese. It was nice meetin’ you!” 

“Nice meeting you, too, Marnie,” Reese unlocked his own door and strode inside, finding a cushy, well-tended room with two beds, a plethora of cabinets for storage, and a wide-screen television along with a door going into a bathroom. 

Dusknoir went over to the window and peered outside, murmuring to itself as it watched the bustling crowds filling the streets. 

Reese slunk over to one of the two beds as Dreepy claimed the other for itself, curling into a ball with a great yawn before falling asleep. 

“Heh, it’s been a busy day, little one,” Reese sighed and unslung his shoulder bag before laying it carefully on the cushy floor beside the bedpost. 

His entire body was aching, now that he stopped to pay attention to it. The Keystone in his flesh was shuddering inside of him, making his limbs tremble as acidic heat trickled through his nerves. Even Spiritomb was quiet, slumbering alongside the hundred and eight souls that expended their energy keeping Reese alive. 

“Alright, let’s...get some rest for tomorrow,” he murmured, slumping onto the overly soft surface of the bed as it wrapped around him like an Altaria. 

Not that an Altaria would actually hold him: the damn thing would probably try to pluck his eyes out. 

Reese closed his eyes and let the dark take him once again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I aged everyone up because I thought it would be somewhat along the lines of Rose's line of thinking. After all, would anyone want a kid to be the face of the Gym Challenge along with everything else the Champion likely has to do? I'm sure Leon has to attend all sorts of events and sponsorships and whatnot, so I figured Rose would want official Gym Challengers to be a bit older if they were to take an official title in such a huge sporting event. Just my line of thought, that's all.


	4. The Challenge Begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was my first attempt at writing a Pokemon battle, so feel free to critique me on it. I also hope I didn't go overboard on making Bede the asshole he is at the earlier stages of the game.

He saw faces, alive and otherwise, in the darkness, their mouths moving in silent conversations as their eyes bore into him. There were faces he’d seen centuries ago, now little more than dust and bones, and he could no longer remember their names. 

Even their eyes were empty white mirrors that reflected the creature staring into them. It was him and yet it wasn’t: his face was shrouded by the rippling deep purple and green of Spiritomb’s body, his glowing green eyes filled with spiraling darkness. When he opened his now inhumanely jagged mouth, the shrieking moan of Spiritomb’s voice rattled from his throat instead of his own. 

Darkness and spectral energies were spilling from the ravaged flesh of his chest, from the Keystone, wrapping around his body in a bitterly cold embrace, reminding him what he really was. 

A walking corpse filled with the souls of the damned, doomed to roam the earth for eternity. He didn’t belong in this world, not anymore, and the world made sure he knew it. One day, it might devour him in the way the body’s white blood cells devoured infectious agents, grinding them into nothing before cruising on their merry way. 

What would be responsible for doing that to him? For finally ending this misery? 

Would knowing the answer change anything? 

“Noir,” a heavy hand ripped him from the void, his vision bleary and distorted as Reese was jerked upright. 

“Dusknoir? That you?” his voice was hoarse but not quite the shrieking, almost bell-like timbre of Spiritomb’s moans. “What time is it?” 

He turned his blurry gaze to the window, which was shining bright enough to scorch his retinas. Slept like the dead, as always. Fitting. 

“Dusknoir,” the spirit grunted. 

“Almost time for the Ceremony? Fuck, I need to get ready,” Reese slurred through the haze as he pushed himself off the bed. 

“Noir.” 

“I smell like death?” Reese muttered. “Look who’s talking.” 

Dusknoir rolled its eye and hauled him towards the bathroom, pointing at the brightly colored porcelain shower that lay within. “Noir.” 

“Fine, fine, I’ll take a shower. I never got a uniform, did I?” Reese frowned as he stripped down and turned the knob labeled HOT in the shower basin. 

Water gushed out, spraying him with a minor deluge of cold before it warmed up a few seconds later. He stepped in and the shock of pure heat snapped his senses to clarity. 

“Fuck, too hot! Too hot!” he screeched as lava began sear his flesh from his bones, jerking on the COLD knob to lower the temperature. 

“Dusknoir,” the ghost at least gave him privacy while he hurriedly scrubbed himself down and fought with his tangled hair. 

“I’m hurrying, damn you!” Reese shut the water off and scrabbled out, and somehow he managed to get himself dried and dressed while raking a brush through his long hair and a foamy toothbrush through mouth. 

“Dree!” Dreepy soared in the room’s open door, carrying half a bagel in its nubs. 

As for where the other half went, nobody knows. 

Reese accepted the offering and devoured it in a few bites as he grabbed his bag and dashed out into the hallway, locking the door behind him while Dreepy and Dusknoir phased through the wall to follow him. 

He made it to the elevator and rode it down, trying not to choke on the bagel half he’d stuffed down his throat. The doors dinged open and Reese was greeted with the curious sight of Hop pretending to throw Pokeballs in the lobby, the boy muttering to himself as he did. 

Said boy turned at the elevator’s ding, his lips splitting into a wide smile. “Morning! So, this is it! My legend really begins!” 

Reese felt Dreepy curl around his shoulder and absently reached up to scratch its chin. “Were you waiting for me?” 

“Of course I was! You’re my rival, right?” Hop laughed. “Come on, Reese! I’ll beat you to Motostoke Stadium!” 

The boy then turned and sprinted down the foyer stairs full speed, nearly bowling over Marnie in the process. 

“Hey! Watch where you’re goin’!” she yelled at him, huffing in annoyance before she noticed Reese striding over. “Oh, mornin’, Reese! I hope you slept better than I did. I was too keyed up, waitin’ for this Challenge to begin!” 

“Dusknoir tells me I sleep like the dead,” Reese shrugged. 

“Wish I had that last night,” Marnie sighed, shaking her head. “Anyhow, I’d wish you luck, but I’m afraid I’m goin’ to be the one to win!” 

Reese grinned at her. “I like your competitive spirit, Marnie. We should probably be heading over to the Stadium.” 

“Just cause I’m walkin’ with you doesn’t mean we ain’t rivals,” she warned him, but she was grinning as well. 

“Fair,” they strode outside, where another League employee was waiting. 

“Ah, Gym Challengers! Please allow me to escort you to the stadium,” he gestured for them to follow. “Be careful not to lose sight of me!” 

“How could we lose sight of him?” Reese wondered, now becoming aware of the buzz of excited chatter emanating from the stadium. “The Gym Stadium is literally right over there.” 

Marnie shrugged, but it became apparent what the employee had been warning them of the second they started on their way over, where entire crowds were filling the streets with a stream of humanity. 

They left enough of the road open for the Challengers and their escort to squeeze through to the Stadium, where the League employee ushered the duo inside. The Stadium foyer was no less crowded: uniformed Challengers were everywhere, sitting on the benches or cushioned chairs, standing around chattering nervously or with excitement in their voices. The smart-ass with 69 on his uniform was shaking a vending machine, yelling how it had eaten his money while others watched him in amusement. 

Reese and Marnie approached the front desk, which Hop was standing next to, grinning even as he gulped down air to make up for his mad sprint to the Stadium. 

“See? Told you I’d...beat you here!” the boy wheezed. 

“Good job,” Reese deadpanned. 

“Challengers Reese and Marnie, right?” the employee asked. “We must ask that all Gym Challengers wear their uniforms for all official events. The opening ceremony marks the beginning of the Gym Challenge, so you know what that means!” 

“We need to get changed, too?” Marnie guessed, at which the man nodded. 

“The changing rooms are to your right, over there. I’d be quick about it!” he gestured to his left, which was their right, towards a door set into the brick wall, then laid two folded white uniforms out on the desk. 

“Dreepy, Dusknoir: stay here,” he said to his Pokemon, who moved to hover behind him at the command. 

Reese took the folded bundle with his number, 563, and strode over to the door before pushing it open. It led to a hallway that split into two, labeled MALE on the left and FEMALE on the right, and Reese hurried down the left hall. He moved down to a wide room filled with stalls for changing and chose the closest one, shutting the door behind him and quickly peeling off his clothes before replacing them with the slim-fitting white uniform shorts and t-shirt. 

He folded his clothes and jacket and shoved them as carefully as he could into his shoulder bag and strode out, the cold air making the hair on his exposed legs stand on end as he hurried into the hallway once more. 

“Am I wearin’ this right?” Marnie had already beat him there, it would seem, her face the picture of worry as she fiddled with her collar and shorts. 

“The number’s on the back of your shirt, so I think you’re good,” Reese assured her, only now noticing that the front of their shorts also had their numbers embroidered onto them. 

Marnie nodded and they strode out into the main concourse together, standing aside to let a flustered Hop sprint by as he hefted his own bundled uniform. The foyer was emptying out as the other Challengers filed through another door next to the desk 

“So much for a legendary start,” Marnie snickered, at which Reese chuckled as well. “He’s an excitable one, ain’t he?” 

“Tell me about it,” Reese muttered as they strode up to the desk. 

The employee behind it nodded. “Wonderful! You guys look as sharp as pins! Now, you’re ready at last for the opening ceremony for this year’s Gym Challenge! Please follow the others out onto the stadium’s pitch!” 

Dreepy coiled around Reese’s shoulder again, but Dusknoir floated over to a bench and picked up a Pokemon magazine before flipping through the pages. Reese didn’t know, even after over five hundred years, if the thing could actually read or if it was just looking at the colorful pictures. 

“Goodness! My heart’s beatin’ up a storm in my chest,” Marnie exhaled as the duo joined the other Challengers filing through the door. 

“You okay?” Reese asked, at which she nodded. 

“I can hear the cheerin’ from here...I’ve never been around such a huge crowd,” she answered, and Reese did indeed hear the roar of a crowd of thousands shaking the air as they moved through a tight tunnel towards an opening shining with light. 

The Challengers exited the tunnel into a massive stadium pitch surrounded by a sea of people and flashing cameras, voices filling the air as spotlights flared on the crowd who were to take on the Gym Challenge. They filed into a loose glob of uniformed bodies on the left side of the field’s center line, opposite where a handsome dark-skinned man in an immaculately pressed grey suit and a stern-faced pale woman wearing a white coat over dress clothes were standing together, the man waving to the crowd and basking in their attention. 

Reese looked over the crowd of Challengers, but he couldn’t make out Nessie’s blue-streaked hair among them. Hadn’t she said she was participating in the Challenge, too? 

“That’s Chairman Rose!” Marnie whispered, her voice almost lost to the thunderous din of humanity. 

Reese saw Hop come sprinting out of the entrance tunnel and skid into the Challenger group, almost bowling over the girl he stopped beside as he wheezed. 

“You okay?” he heard someone ask the kid. 

“Just...peachy, mate!” 

“Breathe, my dude, breathe.” 

“Ladies and Gentlemen!” a booming voice filled the stadium, and the cheers slowly died out as the man Marnie called Chairman Rose lifted his arms in greeting. “I am Rose, chairman of the Pokemon League! I know everyone gathered here, as well as everyone watching from home, have all been waiting for this big moment! It is my pleasure to announce that, finally, the Galar Region’s Gym Challenge will now begin!” 

The crowds erupted in a crescendo of deafening cheers, people and Pokemon’s voices shaking the stadium to its very core. Even the Challengers added many of their voices to the cheer. 

“Dreepy, can you bite my ears off?” Reese muttered to his partner, who was too busy covering its own ears to comply. 

“Didja say somethin’?” Marnie shouted next to him, her voice barely audible over the roars. 

Knowing better than to yell back, Reese just shook his head and motioned towards Rose. 

“Yes, the Gym Challenge! Participants must defeat the eight Gym Leaders and gather the eight badges to prove their skills as Trainers!” Rose declared, his voice again silencing the crowd. “Only the most worthy will have the honor of challenging the greatest Champion in history! Now, I would like to invite the Gym Leaders to show themselves!” 

At his call, seven figures emerged from the tunnel on the opposite side of the pitch, and Reese immediately spotted Nessie among them, her face cool and collected. Wait, seven? Weren’t there supposed to be eight? 

“Where’s Piers?” Marnie murmured. “Don’t tell me he forgot.” 

“Your brother?” Reese guessed, at which she nodded. 

That explained that. 

“The fighting farmer! Here’s the Grass-type expert, Milo!” A huge man with a leaf emblem on his chest raised a massive hand in greeting, his lips curving into a huge, friendly smile as the crowd cheered. 

“The raging wave! It’s the master of Water-types, Nessa!” Nessie lifted her hand to her mouth and blew a kiss at the crowd, earning an approving roar. 

Apparently her real name was Nessa. Maybe Nessie had been a nickname Sonia gave her? Reese racked his memory, trying to make sure he hadn’t called her by that name beforehand. 

Rose went on, naming each of the Gym Leaders as they stood shoulder-to-shoulder in front of the Challengers, a few of them looking annoyed as they took in the empty space in their ranks. 

“Unfortunately, we seem to be missing one,” Rose sighed. “But here are the Gym Leaders that we in Galar are proud to call our own!” 

The air around the Challengers was tense as they took in the obstacles standing in their way to glory, and Reese swore Nessie-no, Nessa, looked right at him and winked. 

“Challengers, these are the challenges you must overcome as you take part in this event!” Rose called. “Good luck to all of you! I look forward to seeing your journey!” 

That was their cue: the Challengers filed towards the tunnel they’d entered in as the Gym Leaders did the same, the roar of the crowd and the flashing of hundreds of cameras following their every move. 

The next few minutes were a blur of getting back to the changing rooms, removing the uniforms, and getting directions from a plethora of League employees on where the Challenge would begin. 

Reese exhaled slowly from where he sat on one of the foyer’s cushioned chairs, his jacket spread out around him as he reached up and rubbed his eyes. He didn’t even flinch when Hop plopped down next to him, the boy’s grin almost infectious. 

“Wasn’t that a feeling!” the boy declared, clenching his fists in excitement. “Standing out there on the pitch...in front of everyone! There’s really no words for it...I can barely contain myself! My heart is racing!” 

Reese chuckled as Spiritomb groaned balefully inside of him, grumbling about the incessant bombardment of loud people. 

Footsteps approached from the side, drawing the eyes of everyone in the foyer as Leon and Rose strode towards the two Challengers. 

“Ah, you finally made it, Hop!” Leon greeted his brother with a friendly fist bump. “And you, too, Reese!” 

Rose took a couple steps closer, his smile warm and inviting even as he ran a critical eye over the two of them. “So, these are the two Trainers our Champion endorsed, himself! Welcome, and it’s a delight to meet you! I’m Rose, of course. Oh? I see you have a Dynamax Band, young Hop!” 

Dynamax Band? 

Reese glanced at Hop and saw that he was indeed wearing some sort of bracelet next to his Challenger Band, the Wishing Star shining from where it had been placed in it. 

“How wonderful! It seems you’ve been led here by the light of a Wishing Star! By the way, it was my wonderful company that invented those Dynamax Bands!” Rose chuckled. “I daresay this year’s Gym Challenge is looking to be an absolute blast!” 

Reese almost expected to hear something explode in the distance to further cement the man’s words. 

Rose said something else, but the spirits of the keystone chose that moment to start howling and screaming again, filling the world with a dark haze for a few moments as Rose’s mouth kept moving in silence. The man lifted a hand in farewell and walked away, and Leon said something as well. 

Fuck it, shut up! All of you! 

Dusknoir floated closer, its magazine gone as its eye glowed with its concern. The haze dimmed enough for Reese to hear Hop’s excited words. 

“You know the Gym Challenge has a set order that you’ve gotta visit the Gyms in, right? The first is in Turffield, and to get there, we need to head to Route 3!” he pumped his fist again. “Let’s go! My legend begins now!” 

How many beginnings has his legend had so far? Five? 

Hop then sprinted full speed out of the foyer, leaving Leon to sigh and shake his head. 

“Always moving, that one. Good luck, Reese!” the Champion walked away, disappearing outside as he was mobbed by fans. 

“Noir?” Dusknoir glided over, its eye still filled with concern. 

“I’m fine now,” Reese sighed, holding a hand over his pulsing chest as hot waves of agony seared his nerves. “It hurts.” 

“Dusknoir.” 

Reese shook his head and strode outside into the crowd. “I can walk. I just need some-” 

“Hey, Reese!” Nessa strode over to him, a grin on her lips as she smoothed the folds on her two-piece swimsuit-like uniform, a few floatie shaped rings on her legs and wrists. “I bet you weren’t expecting this, huh?” 

Reese offered her as much of a smile as he could. “Hey, Nessa. I certainly wasn’t expecting you to be a Gym Leader. Raging wave, huh?” 

She struck a rather dramatic pose, and a bunch of Rotom cameras flashed behind her, partially blinding Reese as he tried to blink the spots from his eyes. “I’m looking forward to facing you, especially, I must say. If Leon endorsed you, I can only imagine how much potential you have!” 

“I look forward to facing you, too,” Reese nodded, blinking away the flashes as the cameras continued to blind him. 

“Okay, that’s enough! Please!” Nessa called to the photographers, motioning for them to put their cameras away. 

To Reese’s surprise, they obeyed, a few of them complimenting Nessa’s beauty or strength before they moved away. Despite that, however, a few stray cameras clicked in the crowd, but Nessa ignored them. 

“I’m surprised they actually did what you asked,” Reese commented. 

Nessa ran a hand through her long hair. “They know I won’t cooperate if I’m mad at them, but the significant fines they could get for harassing a Gym Leader are also a nice deterrent.” 

“I see. So, where are you on this circuit that we Challengers need to follow?” Reese asked. 

“I’m second, after my rival,” Nessa folded her arms with a grin. 

“We’re not rivals! It’s just a friendly competition!” the huge Milo complained from nearby, and Nessa rolled her eyes. 

“Second, huh? I guess that means we’ll be meeting on the battlefield soon,” Reese murmured, which made Dreepy squeal with determination. “See? Dreepy wants to face you, too.” 

Nessa laughed, which made even more cameras flash before she turned to the people responsible. “Hey, knock it off!” 

“S-sorry!” 

“Your smile is really pretty!” 

The photographers shuffled away and Nessa turned back to Reese, exhaling slowly as she shook her head. “Honestly, I’m used to the attention, but if I can’t even have a conversation, then it’s too much.” 

“I can understand that,” Reese nodded, trying to remember the name of the town she’d spoken of the day before. “I start in Turrfield and head over to...Hullbury, wasn’t it?” 

“Yup. It’s quite a journey, but I think you’re up for it!” Nessa held her hand out to him, and Reese clasped it with his own. 

“I’ll try to live up to your expectations,” he said as he shook her hand, which made a few more cameras click. 

“I know you will! I’ve got to get to Hullbury to get ready for the Challenge, but hopefully I’ll see you soon,” they released one another and Nessa offered him another smile before moving away. 

“Noir,” Dusknoir nudged him with its elbow, a mischievous gleam in its lone eye. 

“Don’t you fucking dare,” he growled. 

“Noir? Dusknoir.” 

“I know she went out of her way to talk to me, but she may have just felt like she had an obligation, because of the attack in the Wild Area,” Reese shook his head. “Or she may have wanted to size me up some more, given my endorsement.” 

“Dree!” chimed in the dragon on his shoulder. 

Reese rolled his eyes. “Don’t you start on me, either, little one.” 

It gave an amused chirp, but said nothing else as another Challenger strode up to Reese: number 69. 

“Hey, that was Nessa, wasn’t it?” he commented, his eyes curious as he looked over Reese. “Did she give you any advice or anything?” 

Reese shook his head. “No, just came to wish me luck.” 

The guy’s eyes narrowed. “Why you, specifically?” 

“Because we traveled here from Postwick together, maybe, I don’t know,” Reese could see jealousy in his eyes, saw him sizing him up as a rival. “Whatever her reasons, it was pleasant to speak with her.” 

“I bet,” the Challenger grumbled, moving away into the crowd. 

“Dusknoir,” the Ghost said with a low chuckle. 

“Agreed: if he tries anything, I’ll let you have fun with him unless Shadow shows her face,” Reese nodded, but he couldn’t sense her Mega Stone anywhere near him. “I think she’d enjoy it.” 

She really had to be a far way off. 

“Py?” Dreepy looked over at him, curiosity in its eyes. 

“She’s not going to hurt you, I promise,” Reese scratched its chin again. “Shadow’s really nice when you get to know her, though she is very protective of me.” 

“Dreepy?” 

“Why is she called Shadow?” Reese translated as he moved through the crowd, following a group of Challengers as they headed towards a sign with the number three etched on it. “I first met her in some forest that bloomed in a crater in Unova. She was alone, especially due to her unusual coloring, but we bonded pretty quickly in that forest. She took to following me around, which is why I named her Shadow. I never went anywhere without her until we reached a new region and she would disappear for days to explore it before coming back to me.” 

“Dree!” 

Reese laughed as he kept walking. “I know, I like Shadow, too. She and Dusknoir have been my closest friends throughout this journey, and I don’t know where I’d be without them.” 

He moved through the crowd, listening to the cheers from the crowd fill the air as people called out to their favorite Challengers. Nobody called out to him, of course, but he didn’t care. He would walk alone with his Pokemon for as long as he existed. 

Several eyes followed him as he moved through the clockwork city to a pleasant earthen path lined with trees, flowers, and rolling hills. A warm, sweet breeze coasted through the city at Reese’s back as he strode towards the Route Three. 

“Hey! Reese! Wait up!” Hop’s voice made him turn to see the boy racing to catch up to him. “Let’s have a battle, you and me! We could get some training in, and we have to keep ourselves keen if we’re to get the spotlight off of our rivals!” 

Reese rolled his eyes. “Hop, your Scorbunny and Wooloo literally couldn’t do anything to Dreepy yesterday. Why should today be any different?” 

Hop grinned and pulled out a third Pokeball. “Because I have a new partner who’s itching to go against you!” 

Really, now? What would it be, this time? 

“Alright, I’ll bite,” Reese nodded. “Let’s just make this quick: your third partner against Dreepy.” 

“Agreed!” Hop declared, apparently oblivious to the crowd behind them. 

“Aren’t both of those guys sponsored by the Champion?” 

“Ooh, are they battling here?” 

“Who do you think’s going to win?” 

“Hop, duh! He’s watched all of Leon’s matches! He’s the Champion’s brother!” 

“I don’t know: the other guy was endorsed for a reason.” 

Reese nodded to Dreepy. “Go on, little one. Let’s do this.” 

Dreepy soared forward with an eager cry, and Hop reared back and threw his Pokeball. 

“Go, Rookidee!” a tiny blue and black bird Pokemon burst out of the ball, looking entirely like a baby version of Corviknight. “Use Peck!” 

The bird streaked forward with surprising speed, its beak elongating in a glow as it streaked towards Dreepy. Dreepy rose into the air to avoid the attack, but the Rookidee jumped and stabbed the little dragon in the torso. 

Dreepy squealed in pain and outrage as it writhed, looking to Reese for direction. 

“Ooh, solid hit!” 

“That Dreepy barely looks fazed, though.” 

“Dreepy: Bite,” Reese ordered. “If it runs, chase it.” 

Dreepy lunged with speed even faster than the Rookidee’s. 

“Dodge it!” Hop yelled. 

The bird rolled to avoid the dive-bombing dragon, but Dreepy made an impossibly tight turn and barreled into Rookidee before it could get away, clamping sharp jaws onto the bird’s round head and making it shriek in rage. 

“Sand-Attack, Rookidee!” Hop ordered. 

The bird kicked up a small stream of sand at Dreepy before it could dodge, blasting it right in the face. Dreepy reeled back, squealing in shock as its eyes were assailed by gritty particles. 

“Dreepy, can you see?” Reese asked, the dragon’s answer making his jaw clench. “Right, guess I’ll have to be your eyes. Bite, straight ahead!” 

Dreepy lunged, and again the Rookidee rolled to avoid the attack at Hop’s command. 

“Dreepy, to your left!” Reese barked, and Dreepy twisted to pursue its blurry prey. 

“Keep going, Rookidee!” Hop commanded. “Then roll!” 

Rookidee streaked towards the bridge’s wall and then rolled like a stone right under Dreepy. Reese winced as his partner slammed head-first into stone before he could order it to stop. 

The crowd winced and gasped. 

“Ooh, is it okay?” 

“That looked painful.” 

Dreepy rose into the air again, wobbling as it shook its head before calling out in anger with now-clear eyes. 

Pride swelled in Reese’s chest, and he had to admit that this was pretty damn fun! 

“Alright, Dreepy, let’s-” 

Dreepy opened its mouth and gathered a bluish-purple energy between its jaws, then fired off a stream of draconic power right at the surprised Rookidee. The attack washed over the bird Pokemon and sent it careening to the ground, rolling once, twice, before slumping into a heap on the ground. 

The crowd cheered behind them as Dreepy soared up to Reese with a proud squeal. 

“Good job, buddy,” Reese pat its head, noticing how it winced. “I’ll take you to the Center back there to take care of your head.” 

“Was that really good training?” Hop sighed as he recalled his unconscious Rookidee. “Looks like I’d better keep my guard up!” 

“You fought well,” Reese nodded to him. 

Hop grinned. “Just as I’d expect from my rival! We’ve got a long way to go before we reach Turrfield.” 

“Are you simpletons done wasting our time with your idiocy?” a snide voice that made Reese immediately hate its owner made him glance over his shoulder. “We have better things to do than watch two weak morons beating each other into the dirt.” 

A puffy pink jacket that almost completely covered the guy’s body was all he saw, along with a mane of spiky white hair and the sneering, conceited face of a jackass whose opinion of himself was way too high. 

“Oh, come off it!” Hop snapped. “First, you slam into me earlier and now you think you can call me a weak moron?” 

“Hop, just ignore the little bitch,” Reese sighed, earning an “Oooooooh!” from the crowd as said bitch’s face turned beet red. “Someone with an ego as large as his has to be compensating for something.” 

Several people in the crowd burst into laughter, making the guy’s face even redder. 

“You think you’re such a big-shot because you were endorsed by the Champion, don’t you?” he seethed. “Nonsense! I was endorsed by the Chairman, himself!” 

“Fantastic,” Reese drawled in a voice that dripped sarcasm and I-Don't-Give-A-Shit. “Can you lose the attitude, boy? We’d all be better off without it.” 

More snickering and laughing from the crowd followed the words, with a few jeering remarks sent the boy’s way. 

“I’ll show you that I am the best here, because the Chairman believes in me,” the boy snapped, storming forward and trying to ram his shoulder into Reese’s as he passed. 

Reese stepped forward into it, taking the blow on his keystone ravaged chest and making the boy recoil from the zap of dark energy. 

“Ow! What the hell?” the boy seethed, rubbing his shoulder as more jeers came from the crowd. 

“Oh, come off it!” 

“If you can’t handle it, don’t try to dish it out!” 

“Bugger off, arrogant prick!” 

“Care to try again, boy?” Reese asked, making his voice as deadly calm as he could muster, satisfaction bubbling through him at how the ass’s face drained of color. 

“You’re barely older than me!” he spluttered, his lips curving into an enraged snarl. “Don’t call me a boy, asshole! My name is Bede!” 

Heh, if only he knew. 

“If you’re done wasting everyone’s time on your ego, stop blocking the road so we can get on with the Challenge,” Reese nodded to the crowd of spectators and Challengers. “Bede.” 

He’d stepped back towards the wall, and thankfully Hop had done the same, so this Bede was the only one standing in the middle of the bridge, leaving him the sole obstacle blocking progress. 

“Move, ass-bag!” 

“Come on, Mr. Chairman-Endorsed-Me, let us start!” 

Bede balked, then shot Reese a murderous glare that was absolutely dripping with loathing. “I’ll show you just weak you really are. I’m the best Trainer here, and I’ll prove it by destroying each Gym Leader before you even get close to them.” 

“Yeah, yeah, keep talking, mate,” Hop grunted. “That seems to be all you’re good for.” 

More laughs and derisive comments followed as Bede stormed away, muttering darkly under his breath. 

“Man, I’ve got quite a ways to go if I’m to catch up to you!” Hop grinned at Reese as other Challengers started streaming past them, several of them calling out compliments as they passed. 

“To be fair, I still need to see if I can get some more Pokemon to join me, given that I only have Dreepy at the moment,” Reese sighed, at which Dreepy chirped a question. “Shadow? Yeah, she is technically one of my partner Pokemon, but she’s not here, is she? I can’t say I have another partner if she’s not with me, can I?” 

“Oh, you have another Pokemon named Shadow?” Hop asked. “What kind of Pokemon is she?” 

“You’ll see one day, but until then, I’ll leave you guessing,” Reese teased, earning a groan from the kid. “As for now, I’m going to get Dreepy healed up.” 

The Challenge could wait until his partner was taken care of. 


	5. The Shadow and the Ocean

Dreepy was fine, thank goodness, and Reese was tailing after the main bulk of the other Challengers as they flooded through a mine shaft cutting through the mountains. Galar Mine, he thought it was called: one of the main sources of coal, ore, and stones for the region. He could see equipment littering the caverns, lit by the dim glow of electric lanterns hanging from the walls. 

It stunk of oiled metal and musty air. 

Memories flashed through his mind: the ancient caves of Mount Coronet, the chanting of the cultists as the agony of his fusion with Spiritomb blossomed through his abdomen. Reese chased the images away and strode through the winding corridors, marveling in the beautiful multicolored stones that shone in the light, painting a rainbow of colors across the brown walls. 

“Who knew caves could be so beautiful?” he murmured as he moved through them, striding past workers in heavy orange vests and helmets as a few of them battled Challengers with their Pokemon. 

He skirted the battles and kept moving, following the rail lines for the mine carts until he could see brighter natural light shining from up ahead. There was an opening in the throat of the caverns, and he could smell a sweet scent carried on the warm wind cruising through it. 

And then there was the wretched bleating of more herds of Wooloo. Fan-fucking-tastic. Along with the arrogant dick, Bede, who was standing there with a sneer on his lips. 

“Coming this way? I’d advise against it,” the young man growled. “You humiliated me and I intend to return the favor!” 

Reese sighed. “Get out of my way: I have things more important than your ego.” 

That arrogant sneer returned full force, but Reese could see a sort of desperation behind it, as if the guy absolutely needed to be superior in order to cover for something else. “What a joke! I suppose I should prove beyond a doubt how pathetic you are and how strong I am!” 

The battle was short, pathetically so: Dreepy made quick work of the boy’s three Psychic-types while rapidly dodging their attacks. 

Bede grit his teeth as he recalled his last Pokemon. “I...I wasn’t trying all that hard, anyway! Naturally, I’ll remember your strategy for later and I will defeat you in any official matches! Now that we’ve established that, I won’t waste any more time on you. I’ve already gathered all of the Wishing Stars in this area.” 

He turned and walked away, and Dreepy rolled its eyes as it looked back at Reese. 

“I know, little buddy: he’s full of shit,” Reese sighed. “Well done in that battle: you kicked their asses.” 

The dragon puffed its chest out proudly as the duo walked out into the bright, warm sunlight. Golden fields stretched out for miles, dotted by green trees, walls of stone, and farmhouses with bulky barns and towering silos. He could smell honeysuckle and the scent of manure on the gentle wind weaving through the golden fields, making them wave back and forth in a hypnotic fashion. 

Far off in the field, he could see another large stadium rising alongside a tall hill cluttered with unusual slabs of stone jutting up like grave markers. Turffield filled the space around the stadium: a simple farmer’s town that looked peaceful and sleepy. 

He could hear cheering emanating from the stadium, so perhaps the inhabitants of the town were already watching their Gym Leader take on Challengers. 

“Noir,” Dusknoir rumbled as they strode down a well-used earthen path winding between the golden fields. 

“It is a peaceful place, indeed. Although I fear the incessant bleating from the Wooloo is even worse here than in Postwick,” Reese nodded, glancing over at his ancient companion as it hovered at his side. “I’d lose my mind in a matter of hours.” 

Even Dreepy squeaked in agreement at that. 

Dusknoir grumbled again. 

“What?” Reese looked over his shoulder, seeing and sensing nothing out of sort. “What do you mean, ‘following us’?” 

Dusknoir gave him a weary look with its eye before lifting its large hands and miming having one follow the other. 

“Smart-ass,” Reese bit back as the Pokemon chortled. “What’s following-” 

He looked back at the path and froze as a floating sword was thrust into his face and nearly made him stumble back over his own feet, staring at him with unblinking eyes as it held out a small object with its hand-like ‘ribbon’. 

“A Honedge?” he scowled at the sword Pokemon as it spoke to him. “Aegislash asked you to come with me?” 

It hummed in confirmation, its own eagerness plain in its tones as it again offered him a red and white Pokeball. 

Reese accepted the offering. “Are you sure you want to come with me?” 

It nodded, adamant. 

Well, it’s certainly been a while since I’ve used one of these things, he thought as he tapped the only button on the Pokeball. Red light beamed out and absorbed the Honedge, drawing it into the sphere, where it pulsed before beeping in confirmation. 

“Right, let’s get a move on,” Reese murmured as he shrunk the ball and put it into his satchel. 

He could still feel the Pokemon’s presence from inside the device, but it was a bit muted. They moved quietly through the fields, and Reese saw abnormally large Eevees darting between the grass. 

Wait, no, not Eevees: little kids wearing Pokemon suits and frolicking on the fields, laughing and giggling as they tumbled around, tagging or pushing each other. It was adorable, to be honest, and made the pain in his torso lessen just slightly. 

Only when he reached the entrance of town did he stop, the sweet scent of Berries almost overpowering as he watched Challengers mingle with the townspeople. 

“There you are,” a familiar voice made him look over to see Nessa again dressed in her black jacket with a wide-brimmed hat helping to obscure her features and the bright blue streaks in her hair. “I was wondering when you’d show up here.” 

“I was held up by an arrogant tool by the name of Bede back in the mine,” Reese shrugged as he looked at her. “Nice hat.” 

Nessa gave him a wry smile. “Well, my favorite one did get shot off by angry Bunnelby in the Wild Area and you did have a Dusknoir kidnap me before I could get it back.” 

Dusknoir grunted an apology, fiddling with its thick fingers. 

“It’s fine, Dusknoir,” Nessa said to the Ghost. “I’m not really mad.” 

“I’m surprised you’re here and not in Hullbury,” Reese pointed out, noticing how she was staring at him, examining him with her bright blue eyes. 

“I wanted to watch some of Milo’s matches in person, get a measure of this year’s Gym Challengers,” she explained, absently smoothing out a crease in her jacket. “I was also especially wanting to watch your match.” 

Curious. Why him, of all people? Was it because he was endorsed by Leon? 

Reese folded his arms before his chest and tried to offer a smile that wasn’t too much of a grimace. “Well, I hope I provide some sort of entertaining spectacle for you.” 

Nessa nodded, her gaze still piercing him as if she was looking right through his ancient flesh and into the amalgamation of man and Pokemon that lurked underneath. “I have no doubt that you will: you feel different than the other Challengers, if I’m being frank.” 

“Well, it takes a special kind of bastard to draw the attention and ire of every Pokemon in the world,” Reese drawled, but her expression remained still and her eyes as deep as the ocean, itself. 

He could almost feel her regard crashing over him, dragging him into the depths and battering him with her power. His muscles were liquid, melting into nothingness within his body. 

Spiritomb stirred uncomfortably inside of him, making his abdomen churn with nausea. 

Why was she still staring at him?! 

Nessa blinked as if coming out of a trance, then shook her head. “I...sorry about that! I don’t know why I was...” 

She saw Spiritomb back at Wedgehurst, hadn’t she? In his shadow or something? Was it doing it again? 

“Are you feeling alright?” Reese stepped forward and offered a hand. “Do you feel faint at all?” 

“I feel alright,” Nessa shook her head, then pitched forward. 

She slammed into Reese’s chest, and he fumbled to grab her by the arm and waist and knelt to gently lower her to the ground. Her hat had fallen off, hitting the dirt by his feet. 

“Whoa, are you alright?” she was warm and smelled faintly of salt water and something sweet as her hands gripped tightly at his jacket. “Nessa?” 

“I’m okay,” she rasped, her sharp blue irises almost glazed over as she sprawled on her back in his arms, shivering a bit. “What the hell was that?” 

Arceus damn it, Spiritomb, why did you always have to do this?! 

“What happened?” Reese asked even though he already knew the answer, his fingers probing her wrist for a pulse. 

It was rapid but strong, as if adrenaline was pouring through her veins. Maybe? He wasn’t a doctor, damn it! 

“I...saw something, and I couldn’t stop looking at it,” Nessa groaned, grabbing his arm hard enough to hurt. “It felt like...it was sucking me in. Like a black hole.” 

Ok, so now he had to stay as far away from her as possible if Spiritomb was doing this to her. This always happened to someone...last time had been some kid named Gladion back in Alola. 

“Just stay focused,” Reese put the hand she wasn’t gripping to her forehead, found her skin cold and clammy. “Damn it, I’ll get you to the Pokemon Center.” 

Dreepy and Dusknoir were watching them from the side, their eyes glowing. They knew better than to get involved with Spiritomb, it would seem. Good. Dusknoir had seen it before, of course, but Dreepy...well, it was staying away, so that’s all that mattered. 

“I’ll be fine,” Nessa protested, but she was clearly not in the state to claiming as such. 

“Hey, what’s going on over here?” a couple Challengers and townspeople had hurried over. 

“Is that Nessa?” 

“Are you okay?!” one burly farmer with tufts of wool on his dirty clothes knelt next to them, his large hands rough and calloused. “Ma’am?” 

“I just felt a little faint, is all,” Nessa stammered. 

“We should get her to the Pokemon Center,” Reese said to the farmer, who nodded in agreement. 

“Can you walk, ma’am?” the man asked, his leathery face gentle and filled with concern. 

Nessa tried to move, but Reese knew that Spiritomb’s presence was all but liquifying her muscles, petrifying her as its power seeped into her soul. It wouldn’t kill her, but she would certainly be feeling out of it for a while. 

It had that effect on some people, but Reese didn’t know why. Maybe their souls were too similar to the ones giving him life? Or maybe it was random with neither reason nor logic dictating their resonance with this cursed spirit. 

“Hey, don’t record this!” someone snapped from the small crowd of Challengers. 

A couple of them were holding up their Rotom phones, aiming the camera lenses at Nessa and Reese. Reese could feel the Ghost Pokemon inside the devices and mentally reached out to them, sensing their regard as they became aware of his presence. 

_“Shut those off, please,”_ he thought, and the Ghost types chittered in his mind. 

There were sparks and surprised curses from the people recording as their devices shut down, the Rotoms ignoring any further commands from the ones holding them. 

_“Thank you.”_

“We’ll probably have to carry you,” the farmer was saying to Nessa, who was still trying to protest despite her body fighting her every attempt. 

“I can walk! Just give me a couple moments!” she stammered, but her every attempt to move was met with utter failure. 

“And fall over again? I think not,” Reese shook his head. “I’ll not have you getting a concussion or worse.” 

_Especially not because of me._

The farmer gently eased Nessa into a bridal carry despite her protests and carried her towards the red and white Pokemon Center, saying “It’s alright, ma’am! We’ll get this sorted out, I promise!” 

“All right, show’s over!” Reese barked at the audience, who flinched at his sharp words. “We all have other things that need to be done, right?” 

Dusknoir snatched Nessa’s fallen hat and held it carefully, groaning a question to Reese. 

“If you want, sure,” he answered. “I don’t know if you’ll be able to find the other one, so be careful if you go to look.” 

The Ghost type then pushed the wide-brimmed hat into Reese’s hands, vocalizing a sly suggestion. 

Reese glared at it, only muttering the moment the other people wisely opted to leave him alone and disperse. “I am not going near Nessa again. You saw what...it...is doing to her. I am not going to hurt her any further because of this Arceus-damned curse.” 

Dusknoir sighed and shrugged, then melted into the shadows before Reese could shove Nessa’s hat back into its hands. 

“Dusknoir!” Reese hissed, then swore under his breath. “Fuck. All right, I’ll return the hat to her, but that’s it.” 

Dreepy settled on his shoulder and squeaked happily as it rested. 

Reese scratched its triangular head and paused as he heard something splashing from the side. He glanced at the source of the sound and saw a river cutting through Turffield’s swaying hills, then he spotted a large Crawdaunt waving to him from the share. 

He waved back, and the Dark type scuttled back into the water before vanishing beneath the surface. 

Honedge buzzed in its Pokeball, yearning for combat, and an idea sparked in his mind. 

“Say, why don’t you and Dreepy spar to train?” he suggested, both Pokemon perking up at his words. “Ghost-type against Ghost-type.” 

Dreepy chirped excitedly, and Reese nodded as Honedge suggested they do this outside of town, in the fields. Not like he’d intended to let them loose in town, but at least Honedge had some common sense. 

It would be unwise to try to register for the Gym at the moment, given that it was likely to be flooded with Challengers, so it would be good to kill some time and give the crowd time to thin out. 

Reese strode out of town and made his way to a deserted part of a nearby field, keeping his distance from the costumed Eevee kids, and pulled his Pokeball out. Honedge emerged in a burst of light, its shrill metallic cry making him wince. 

“Alright, let’s start testing each other out, eh?” Reese mused as his two partners took stances opposite one another. “I got some Potions from the Pokemon Center in Motostoke, but try not to beat each other’s souls out.” 

“Py!” 

“Honedge!” 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

Nessa was getting tired of staring up at the too-bright artificial lights of the Pokemon Center, but this one’s Nurse Joy was refusing to let her leave until tomorrow. The bed she’d been given was comfortable, and there was nobody else in the clinic’s human infirmary, so at least she wasn’t being hounded by fans and admirers. 

The walls were a simple white brick, with a lone window letting in light from a street lamp outside. Several televisions were bolted to the walls, which let her watch the Gym Challengers as they’d challenged the Gym. Milo had stopped by briefly as the first round of his battles had died out, wishing her a swift recovery before retiring to his home for the night. 

Nessa sighed, warmth sinking into her body from the white comforter and sheets that cocooned her. What had happened with Reese? She’d been talking to him like normal when the cold feeling she’d experienced back in Wedgehurst had seeped into her once again. The unusual shadow that formed around Reese enraptured her once more, and she’d been embarrassed by the fact that she had been unable to tear her eyes away from it. From Reese. 

She could have sworn she saw something in his eyes, something that she’d never seen before, and then she felt as if her soul was being sucked out of her. 

“What is he?” Nessa murmured to herself, pondering why it was so difficult to stop thinking about him. 

His strange green eyes looked so...weary, as if he’d seen and experienced more than his age would have allowed. The way he’d secluded himself in Postwick and the way those wild Pokemon had immediately moved to attack him minutes after they’d entered the Wild Area was curious as well, but she didn’t know quite what to think about it. 

Her Rotom Phone buzzed, and she drew it up to look at the screen as Sonia’s name flashed across it. 

_“Nessie, u ok? Heard u fainted.”_

Nessa rolled her eyes but smiled despite the annoying nickname her best friend had given her as she typed back a response. 

_“I’m fine, Sonia. Resting in the_ _Pokemon_ _Center.”_

She sent it and set the phone down, exhaling slowly to settle her nerves. 

A chime rang out across the infirmary, announcing a visitor, and she looked up to see the very object of her thoughts stride in, his dark long-coat billowing behind him. 

“Hey, there,” she said as Reese walked over to her bedside, hesitation and guilt almost gushing from him. 

“Hey. How are you feeling?” he asked, and she noticed that he was carrying her new hat in his hands. 

“I’m feeling better than earlier, although Joy won’t let me leave until tomorrow,” Nessa said, offering him a smile that she hoped would diffuse his guilt. “It’s good to see you.” 

He faltered a bit at her words, his lips curving into a slight smile. “I, uh, brought your hat back.” 

It was...quite adorable, if she was being frank. She was almost not annoyed by the way her heart skipped in her chest. Her phone buzzed, but she ignored it. 

Reese set the hat on the nightstand and continued maintaining his distance from her. 

“Thank you,” she nodded, easing herself up into a sitting position. “Now, I believe we have a Cufant in the room to address, do we not?” 

Reese frowned. “Uh, what the hell is a Cufant?” 

“Elephant Pokemon? Evolves into Copperajah?” Nessa pantomimed a round Pokemon with her hands. “Looks like a fat ball with legs?” 

“Never seen one before,” Reese deadpanned. “It sounds dumb-looking.” 

Nessa sighed: they were getting off track. “Tell that to Copperajah. But you know what happened to me, don’t you? You seem eager to keep your distance from me because of it.” 

She heard him mutter “Fuck” under his breath. 

“Reese, you owe me an explanation,” she pushed on. “If something is hurting me because of you, I have a right to know.” 

The phone buzzed again, and Reese raised an eyebrow at it. Nessa shoved it beneath her pillow and folded her arms, motioning for him to continue. 

“You’re right,” he sighed, shaking his head as if to dispel unpleasant thoughts. “There’s a reason Ghost type Pokemon like me so much. When I was younger, I was cursed by a Banette. It imbued me with enough of its hatred to make me a...conduit of rage, so to speak. Most other Pokemon types react violently to the curse, and it can very rarely mess with the life forces of people around me.” 

Banette? She’d never seen one in person-they weren’t present in Galar-but Nessa had heard nasty stories about the critters. 

“And Dusknoir?” she noticed that the large Ghost wasn’t present, but the Dreepy was curled on his head. 

“It helps to protect me because of the curse. Ghost types tend to see me as one of their own, as do Dark types for some reason, which makes living in a populated area quite...difficult. They flock to me,” he rubbed the back of his head, sighing heavily. 

“But, just one Banette did this to you?” Nessa frowned. “I didn’t think they were that strong.” 

Reese laughed bitterly. “Oh, they normally aren’t, but this one was an especially nasty one, given that it got its claws on a Mega Stone. I was cursed by a Mega Banette.” 

This couldn’t be right: she knew Banette were old dolls, according to the stories she’d heard, but that shadow that she’d seen around Reese definitely didn’t look remotely like what she’d heard described. And Mega Evolution...she’d sat through many long hours of Sonia rambling about the subject, something about certain Pokemon needing special stones to acquire even greater powers via a temporary evolution. 

Nessa had never seen one such evolution, herself, but it sounded incredible. 

“A Mega Banette?” she murmured. “That sounds terrifying.” 

“Imagine being a kid when it happened,” Reese sighed bitterly. “Just one chance encounter turned my entire life into a shitshow, and I can’t even be around people lest the curse start to hurt them.” 

“Do you know why it affects only certain people?” Nessa asked, sitting up. “Is it dangerous?” 

Her phone buzzed against the small of her back, but she ignored it. 

“No, I don’t,” Reese shook his head, rubbing his arm as his strange eyes gazed off into the distance as if seeing things she couldn’t. “And as for the danger? Aside from making you faint and weak, it won’t kill. It just saps your strength a bit, uses it as fuel when mine isn’t strong enough.” 

Nessa’s head snapped back up towards him in alarm. “When yours...is it feeding off of you?!” 

“Yeah, it has been,” Reese nodded with a nonchalant shrug. “Sometimes it just needs a, uh, jumpstart from someone else, I guess you could say.” 

Horror and sympathy warred inside of her: two Nessas screaming at each other about what to do while the rest of her brain crumbled around them. 

“What about your family?” she asked softly, and his gaze turned even more distant. 

Her phone buzzed again like an infuriating Bug type, and Nessa fumbled behind her pillow to wrench the thing out. 

_Four (4) Missed Messages From: Sonia :P_

“I’ll let you rest,” Reese said, turning his back on her and making to leave. “And...I’m sorry that I hurt you.” 

“Can anyone help you?” Nessa asked. “Can I help you?” 

“I don’t think anyone can help me anymore,” Reese shook his head, making his long brown hair sway. “I’m sorry again. I’ll understand if you’d prefer that I stay as far away from you as possible.” 

Nessa wanted to say something else, but he cruised out of the infirmary like the Ghost types he oft attracted. This poor man...he had to suffer so much, and Nessa could almost see his loneliness in his unusual eyes. 

She sighed again and opened up Sonia’s messages, typing back responses despite her mind lingering on the shadows surrounding Reese. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Dreepy and Honedge grunted at Reese as he left Nessa behind, the woman looking no worse for wear. 

_Mega_ _Banette_ _? Really?_

“I had to say something aside from the truth, and Banette don’t live on Galar, let alone Mega Banette,” he hissed at the two nuisances. “Fuck, I shouldn’t have said anything, but...” 

He hoped she wouldn’t go asking too many questions, especially to the Professor’s daughter. That had probably been the one texting Nessa the entire time. 

Reese shook his head. “Forget it: we fight Milo tomorrow and then move on to Hullbury. Hopefully...this doesn’t happen again when I face her.” 

This was a bad idea: he shouldn’t have let Hop and Leon cajole him into participating in this Gym Challenge. 

Reese sighed and slipped out of the town limits, his eyes seeking a spot far away from Turffield. He found a cluster of grass that looked comfortable enough and laid down on it, shifting to make it somewhat more comfortable as Dreepy curled up on the ground beside him. 

He could get a room in town, but he’d prefer to stay away from Nessa for now. He’d slept in worse, at least. 

He kept the image of the woman in the infirmary in his mind as a reminder of what he really was before he fell asleep. 


	6. The First Challenge (Is Not Quite Much of One)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing Pokemon battles is not my forte, and I will admit I had a rough time trying to get it to all come together. I hope I'm not making the Reese/Nessa thing progress too quickly, as well, since I was hoping to make it last longer without forcing it.

The stadium was packed with people, he could hear them cheering in the distance as he strode out into what appeared to be a long and narrow green field with little obstacles of hedges and a lot of Wooloo. 

Reese shaded his eyes against the bright floodlights providing life to this field, wondering yet again why the hell he had joined this blasted Gym Challenge. Well, this wasn’t the battle against Milo, but a Challenge that would prove that he was worthy of facing the Gym Leader. 

His uniform was tight on his body as he made his way down to the field, understanding that he had to urge those Wooloo to the other side of the field, where they would be counted and the way would open. Do this three times, defeat three Gym Trainers, and Reese would be allowed to face Milo in the pitch. 

Why was it always three? 

Reese took one step towards the Wooloo and, as predicted, the creatures tumbled in a panic to roll away from him. He watched, mildly amused, as the Pokemon piled onto the first checkpoint, then rolled through to the remaining two far off in the distance. 

The Gym Trainers who would have stood in his way stared at the fleeing Wooloo, stupefied expressions on their faces as they watched the Pokemon roll into channels cut into the floor and vanish. 

“I’ve never seen them move so fast,” one of the trio of green-uniformed Trainers muttered. “They blew right past the Yampers, too.” 

“Isn’t he one of the two Champion-endorsed Trainers?” the second asked. “Aren’t we supposed to battle him?” 

“Milo says to let him through,” the third one lowered his Rotom Phone, a perplexed look on his face. 

“Really?” Reese folded his arms, ignoring how his competition gloves made his hands itch. “Fine.” 

“Well, you are the last Challenger to come through here,” the first Gym Trainer shrugged. 

Really? The last one? He hadn’t waited _that_ long, had he? 

“I still can’t believe that one idiot tried to challenge Milo with nothing but Water-types,” the first Gym Trainer was saying. “I’ve never seen someone go down to him so quickly.” 

“Oh, yeah, that Sixty-Nine guy, right?” the second chortled. “That was hilarious.” 

Reese moved forward to the end of the field, going up a set of metal stairs that led to a circular door. The moment he stepped on the platform before it, fireworks exploded in a shower of sparks that filled the air with the stench of burned powder and smoke. 

The door ground open behind him, allowing the undiluted roar of the crowd to pour through as he looked out at the stadium pitch. 

Reese strode out, wincing at the deafening cheers that assaulted his ears while he moved out into the pitch, the bulk that was Milo already waiting for him. The stands were filled with a sea of people and flashing cameras, which Reese did his best to ignore as he moved on. 

“Hey, there! I’ve been eager to see you,” the man offered a friendly smile as he lifted a big, callused hand in greeting. “My Gym’s the first one, so I try to keep the Challenge interesting, but I’ve never seen anyone go through it that quickly. It seems to me that you really understand Pokemon!” 

“More like Pokemon are scared shitless of me,” Reese muttered, shaking his head. 

“This is going to be a real doozy of a battle!” Milo continued. “I’ll have to Dynamax my Pokemon if I want to win! Especially against the last Challenger of my Gym!” 

Wait, did he not Dynamax with anyone else? 

“You saved your Dynamax for me? I’m touched,” Reese drawled as the duo spread apart to take their places. “Where the hell is Dreepy?” 

As if on cue, the little dragon soared out of nowhere, cruising before Reese and chirping excitedly. 

“A Dreepy, huh!” Milo nodded. “Not too many people use those! Let’s get down to it, Gossifleur!” 

He threw out a Pokeball, which burst open to release a flower-like Pokemon. It was small and quite pretty to look at, but the hatred that simmered in its eyes was unmistakable as it glared at Reese. 

“Whatever this Dynamax is, I doubt he’ll use it right off the bat,” Reese mused. 

“Gossifleur: Bullet Seed!” Milo yelled. 

The Pokemon’s mouth glowed as it spat a stream of projectiles at Dreepy. 

“Dodge, Dreepy! Dive bomb it and use Dragon Rage!” Reese countered. 

Dreepy shot up into the sky with blinding speed, moving almost faster than Reese could follow before streaking towards Gossifleur. Dreepy’s mouth opened, and a stream of dark blue and red energy shot outwards, careening wildly towards its target before exploding. 

Gossifleur emerged from the kicked-up dust and smoke, screeching with rage but awaiting further orders. 

“Razor Leaf!” Milo bayed, and leaves sharper than blades streaked towards Dreepy. 

Dreepy dodged and wove through the attacks, but several hits were scored on its spectral body and made it roar in pain. At least it had type resistance, as did Honedge, so this likely wouldn’t be too difficult. 

The crowd roared with each hit, making Reese’s head pound from the sheer volume crashing over him. 

“Dreepy, Bite! Carry it into the air!” he ordered. 

“Shield yourself with Razor Leaf!” Milo countered. 

The Gossifleur tried to surround itself with a veil of sharp leaves, but Dreepy dashed right through them and snatched the flower Pokemon up in its jaws, darting skyward. Gossifleur kept firing off attacks at random, desperately trying to free itself, but nothing connected. 

Dreepy rose higher and higher, then dropped its prey. Gossifleur dropped like a stone, slamming into the stadium pitch with a loud bang, where it lay unmoving. 

“Ooh, that was a nice one!” Milo recalled the unconscious Pokemon. “We’re not going to be done in that easily! We’re tough as weeds!” 

Maybe it was the roar of the crowd and the relentless energy filling the air, but Reese actually found some enjoyment in this debacle. 

“Let’s go, Eldegoss!” this Pokemon looked like a dandelion: a white puffball on a small grassy body. 

Was this going to be the Dynamax? 

The bracelet Milo wore began to shine with purple light, and he recalled Eldegoss. The Pokeball then expanded into a massive glowing purple version of it, which Milo hurled into the air. 

In an explosion of blinding purple light, the Eldegoss expanded until it nearly blotted out the darkening sky. The energy that filled the stadium made Reese’s fine hairs stand on end as he stared up at the massive Pokemon that could easily flatten him with a single leaf. 

“Well, that’s certainly not like Mega Evolution,” Reese murmured. 

Even Dreepy squealed in alarm as the Pokemon that had been smaller than it a few seconds ago was now filling up half the stadium. How the hell was it supposed to hurt the massive Eldegoss?! 

The crowd roared even louder, which made Reese look out over the stands to examine his audience. Among the sea of unfamiliar faces and flashing lights, he saw Marnie and Hop sitting in the front rows along with a few other Challengers. And sitting next to them, looking tired but with bright eyes was... Nessa? 

Her gaze was boring into him, an amused smile on her lips. She nodded towards Milo as if saying ‘show me what you can do’. 

“Dreepy, start darting around Eldegoss while blasting it with Dragon Rage,” Reese ordered. “Don’t slow down and don’t stop. If you get hit even once...” 

“Py!” the Dreepy streaked off almost faster than his eyes could follow, a spectral blur among the dark purple clouds that swayed around the Eldegoss mountain. 

“Max Overgrowth!” Milo yelled, and insurmountable power resonated around Eldegoss. 

Giant seeds spewed from the creature’s mouth, but Dreepy dodged each one as said seeds slammed into the ground and sprouted into massive vines and flowers that almost blotted out the stadium stands. The grass grew taller and filled the air with a wet, dewy scent aside from the sweet blooms, and Reese stepped back as a vine tried to wrap around his ankle. 

“Dragon Rage! Don’t stop!” Reese bellowed, his throat aching from the volume his vocal chords were being forced to produce. 

Dreepy streaked around Eldegoss as the massive Pokemon slowly moved its massive body to give chase, then shrieked as Dragon Rage began to lick its green frame. The Dynamax Pokemon was big and powerful, but extremely slow, so all Dreepy had to do was keep moving and keep blasting. 

“Try to shake it off, Eldegoss!” Milo ordered. 

His giant Pokemon tried its best to comply, but its flailing was pathetically slow compared to Dreepy’s absurd speed and only served to open its face for a blast of Dragon Rage. Eldegoss roared in pain, its arm-less body launching off more exploding seeds that shook the entire arena with blooming plants. 

Dreepy flitted in front of the massive creature, waving its little nubs in what Reese guessed was a rude gesture at its opponent. Eldegoss screeched its fury, opening its mouth wide, and then Dreepy poured a stream of draconic energy right down its throat. 

The Dynamax Eldegoss exploded in a flurry of energy, shrinking down and expelling light and purple smoke until it was a normal-sized lump on the stadium pitch. 

Reese released the breath he hadn’t even known he was holding in as Dreepy soared back down to him, puffing its chest out with pride despite the fact that it was struggling to stay afloat. 

“Wonderfully done, my friend. Are you feeling well?” 

The Pokemon nodded, and Reese lifted his gaze to see Milo striding towards him. 

“That was quite a doozy, my friend!” the Gym Leader announced, offering his hand. 

Reese took the hand and nearly winced as Milo’s bone-crushing grip enveloped him, making his bones groan in agony before they were released. 

“Here’s your Leaf Badge!” Milo handed him a small green badge, which Reese quickly pocketed. “Congratulations on beatin’ your first Gym! Good luck with the others!” 

“Thank you. You fought well,” Reese answered as his tired partner curled around his shoulders and started snoring into his ear. 

The farmer/Gym Leader laughed heartily, his smile never faltering. “Looks like your Dreepy is tuckered out! I look forward to seeing how far you go in the Challenge!” 

“As do I. Farewell,” Reese left the pitch to the roar of the crowd as an announcer’s voice blared from speakers, declaring the battle over and the first part of the Gym Challenge complete. 

He retreated to the dressing room and changed, peeling off his uniform and replacing it with his much more comfortable shirt and pants, complete with his overcoat. After stuffing the uniform into his bag and slinging it over his shoulder, displacing a grumbling Dreepy to his head, Reese pushed his way out of the stadium, trying to avoid the crowds streaming from the stands. 

“Hey, good show,” Nessa was again waiting for him outside, a small smile on her lips. 

Reese nodded but kept his distance from her, noting how she seemed stronger than yesterday. “Glad you enjoyed it. How are you feeling?” 

She shrugged and ran a hand through her long hair. “Better, thank you. You don’t need to be afraid of me, you know.” 

“I’m not afraid of you, just afraid of what I could do to you because of...this,” Reese shook his head, glancing around to make sure nobody was listening in. 

Nessa strode closer to him, her eyes sparkling with mischief as Reese tried to back away only to feel his back hit bricks. “Seems to me that you’re afraid of me.” 

“I don’t want to hurt you just by being near you,” Reese corrected, trying not to look away as she all but thrust her face into his. 

He could smell a faint antiseptic from the clinic on her, along with a salty remnant. She always smelled like the sea, somehow. 

“Well, I’m not feeling strange, so I think you’re safe to be around,” she stopped invading his personal space. “That was a good fight. First time I’ve seen Milo Dynamax his partner this year, and your Dreepy made short work of it.” 

“That was mostly because of Dragon Rage,” Reese shrugged. “It deals quite a bit of damage against younger or weaker Pokemon. One hit from that Max Overgrowth probably would have taken us out.” 

“Still, you did pretty well,” Nessa smiled at him, then nodded to the town behind her. “Come on, walk with me.” 

Reese wanted to hesitate, but the finality in Nessa’s voice urged him onwards. He walked at her side, watching her closely for any sign that his curse was hurting her again. 

“You’re certainly strange, you know,” the Gym Leader mused after a few moments of silence. “But I can understand now why you try so hard to isolate yourself.” 

“I have a good reason for it,” Reese muttered, shaking his head. 

“I understand that, now,” Nessa said softly. 

They walked in silence out of Turffield’s stadium and onto an earthen path lined with unusual monoliths and stone arches, ascending the hill until they reached the top. Across a small valley was an even bigger hill with unusual patterns displayed upon it, including one that looked like a strange Pokemon. 

There were a few people taking photos with some cutout with holes for their faces, but they weren’t paying attention as Gym Challenger and Gym Leader approached the railing marking the boundary and leaned on it, staring out across the hills. 

“Isn’t that Nessa?” a kid’s voice was whispering from behind. 

“She’s so beautiful!” another murmured. 

Nessa pretended not to hear them, but Reese could see the smile that curved her lips. 

“Excuse me!” a young boy and girl timidly approached, the girl holding a picture of Nessa in a red dress on a Milotic’s back. 

“W-would you sign this?” the girl asked, holding out her picture. 

Nessa gave her a brilliant, warm smile and nodded. “Of course I will! What’s your name?” 

“Mia!” the girl gave Nessa a gap-toothed grin, adoration shining in her eyes. 

“To my adorable fan, Mia,” Nessa was apparently used to this kind of attention, as she whipped out a pen from her pocket and signed the picture in a flourish, never once losing her smile as she handed it back to the girl. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Mia!” 

The little girl squealed happily and clutched the picture to her chest, babbling out a stream of “Thankyouthankyouthankyou!” before scurrying away with the boy in tow. 

“You’re quite something,” Reese murmured as Nessa pocketed her pen and turned back to him. 

“I hope that’s a compliment,” she replied with a laugh. 

Reese nodded to her, then turned his attention to the curious figure that was on the hillside. “Shouldn’t you be in Hullbury, now? You have a lot of people going to challenge you.” 

“I’ll make it just fine,” she waved dismissively, but the concern in her face was not so easily hidden. 

Reese folded his arms. “You stalled for time to watch my match, didn’t you?” 

Part of him was annoyed, but another part was...happy? 

“Damn it,” Nessa muttered. “Saw right through me.” 

He glanced at her. “Why are you so interested in me?” 

“Aside from the weirdness that has filled my life from the moment we met a few days ago?” Nessa asked in a teasing voice as she raised an eyebrow at him. 

“I wouldn’t blame you for slapping me and telling me to stay the fuck away from you for all time,” Reese pointed out, making her snicker. 

“As long as you don’t drop a horde of angry Pokemon on one of my photoshoots, I think I can tolerate you,” she said with a grin. 

“I’ll stay as far away from your photoshoots as humanely possible,” Reese promised. “The last thing your next great picture needs is a cursed maniac fleeing from a horde of Pokemon in the background.” 

Nessa laughed at that, but Reese’s mirth was doused by the image of bloodthirsty Pokemon stampeding after him while a stunned camera crew tried to avoid being trampled. 

Honedge buzzed from within its Pokeball, promising to protect him should such a thing ever arise. 

Thanks, little buddy. 

Nessa’s phone buzzed, and whatever was on the screen as she pulled it out made her good mood instantly evaporate. 

“Being called to Hullbury?” Reese guessed, at which she nodded after hurriedly typing a reply. 

“Duty calls,” she sighed, giving him a rather vicious grin as she pocketed her phone. “I’m not going to make this easy for you, you know. I-” 

A cold but familiar presence alerted Reese, and Dusknoir emerged from the shadows of a nearby monolith with a familiar hat clutched in its large hands. 

“Ah, you found it!” Reese chuckled at Nessa’s surprised expression as the Ghost type floated over to her, offering her lost hat. “I asked Dusknoir to go back and find it, if it could. Well done, my old friend.” 

Nessa grinned widely as she took the hat, running her fingers through its material. “What...how did you find it?” 

Dusknoir rumbled an explanation, which consisted of “I rummaged through mud for five hours and dug it up” before adding something else which made Reese snort. 

“You took it to a laundromat and had it cleaned up?” he shook his head as his friend nodded enthusiastically. “How did you pay for it?” 

It grunted in response, which made it even harder to contain his laughter. 

“You slipped it into someone else’s basket and snuck it out the second it was done? And here I thought you’d just been taking your sweet time looking,” Reese chuckled. “Not bad. Not bad at all.” 

Nessa sighed and shook her head, but her amused smile was impossible to miss. “Thank you, Dusknoir. And thank you, Reese, for asking it to go back for my hat. I appreciate it.” 

He nodded, trying not to let his embarrassment color his face as he regarded the warm, happy smile that was lighting up Nessa’s own face. “I’m glad we were able to help.” 

She held her free hand out to him, which he automatically reached out to clasp with his own. “I look forward to seeing you in Hullbury, Reese.” 

“Yeah, I’ll see you,” he nodded, letting go of her and watching as she turned and dashed off to a nearby Air Taxi. 

Her warmth lingered in his hand, and he turned away as Dusknoir murmured another sly remark. 

“Yeah, right,” Reese chuckled, feeling the weight of over five centuries settling on his shoulders. “Let’s just keep going.” 

Thankfully, the Corviknight from this taxi didn’t try to kill him, and Reese looked back to see Nessa waving at him before the taxi was taken into the air. 

Reese waved back and watched as Nessa was carried out of sight, then sighed and walked away. “Let’s go, Dusknoir.” 

“Noir.” 


	7. Hullbury

In his dreams, he saw fragments of the lives he had seen, bits and pieces of the world that he’d spent centuries traveling. Reese could see the forest in the crater, where he’d first met Shadow years ago in Unova; then Mount Coronet, looming tall and pale as flurries of snow fell all around him, covering up the path he’d drudged from the cave where his life had both ended and began anew; and then there was a more recent image of him sitting in some Arceus-forsaken swamp in Kalos over a decade ago while a little girl named Valerie played with Dusknoir. 

He could never remember exactly where his travels had taken him, all the names bubbled together into the sludge of centuries until it was impossible to separate one region from another. Sometimes, all he could remember was the fear and the loneliness, wandering alone from place to place until something attacked him or people started growing too suspicious of him. 

The memories blurred together again and then sharpened into a valley he hadn’t seen for a long time, filled with simple homes built with logs and thatch roofs. 

“Reese! Be careful if you go out today!” a voice he never thought he’d hear again made his heart skip a beat. 

His gaze turned to a painfully familiar home, the place he’d grown up in, where an older woman in a white hempen dress was fussing over a Reese dressed in a similarly rough-hewn tunic. His face didn’t yet bear the strain of centuries wandering alone, and his eyes were a gentle, glittering brown rather than the unnatural, sickly green they would become. 

“I’ll be fine, Mother,” the Reese of the past sighed. “It’s just a routine forage around Mount Coronet, so I’ll be back with some supplies for dinner.” 

Oh, if only he’d known...he never would have made that damn trek, where those bastards had been lying in wait to snatch up an unlucky traveler in order to shove their soul into a cursed keystone. 

The woman who looked like an older female version of Reese, with her greying hair tightly bound into a lone braided tail behind her head, ceased patting his tunic and checking his supplies. “I know, dear, I know, but the growing number of people disappearing lately have everyone worried. I don’t want you to be the next one to vanish to the spirits of the mountain.” 

How close they had been...not spirits, exactly, but a gaggle of maniacs kidnapping people and ripping their souls out. 

“I’m not going to vanish, Mother,” stupid, naïve Reese had said as he’d kissed his mother’s cheek for the last time. “I promise I’ll come back safe and sound.” 

It was a promise he would never fulfil. After the deed had been done, and his soul permanently fused with Spiritomb, he remembered stumbling back in an agonizing dark haze while the souls of those who had ‘disappeared’ howled and screamed inside of him, drowning him in their sorrow, rage, and suffering. Spiritomb had been screaming, too, its bell-like voice pounding his head while his ravaged torso spat gouts of dark energy and blood from the fusion of flesh and unholy stone. 

Reese had dragged himself through snow, wood, and mud to get back to the village, the only place he could think to go, and he found the windows of his home lit up with candles and the flames of his mother’s Infernape. She had been standing outside with her loyal Pokemon, gazing into the forest as if she could bring her son back through sheer force of will. 

“Mathilda, I don’t think he’s coming back,” one of the other villagers was there, a grim yet sorrowful expression on his face. “The spirits of the mountain have claimed yet another of our own.” 

“He will return, safe,” Reese’s mother insisted, her gaze stern yet hiding panic as she glared at the forest. “He promised me.” 

Reese had dragged himself forward through the agony, through the haze, not realizing what his body even looked like as he tunnel-visioned on his mother. It was only when her Infernape snarled and stepped in front of her with pure hatred shimmering in its eyes when Reese paused to see the horrified expressions on both faces. 

“It’s...it’s a demon! A spirit from the mountain!” the male villager had screamed before turning and sprinting into the village. 

Mathilda only stood, frozen in shock and horror, as Reese stumbled forward, his hand outstretched to her. He tried to speak, to ask why she didn’t recognize him, but the only sound that escaped his throat was Spiritomb’s scream. 

Infernape howled and spat a gout of flames at Reese, the heat yanking the air from his lungs as the pillar of fire streaked past him. The attack careened into a tree and immediately sent tongues of flame licking up bark and turning leaves into ash. 

Why? Why was Infernape attacking him?! He’d helped his mother raise it from a Chimchar! They were family! 

Reese took another step in this dark haze, his muscles melting as waves of agony crashed upon him, followed by gibbering and screaming from the countless voices that drowned out everything else. 

Spiritomb screamed again, its voice rattling from his throat and filling the air with the almost melodious timbre of its vocalizations. Another burst of flames from Infernape slammed into his chest, heat joining in with the soul-crushing, body-melting agony that was already ripping him apart piece by piece. 

Reese was certain his own voice joined with the screams of the others as he stumbled back, burning and bleeding and spewing out slews of darkness from every pore in his body as arms shrouded in shadow lifted up defensively before his face. 

“Mathilda, run!” Other villagers and their Pokemon were running towards her, panic and horror on their faces. “Don’t let it near you!” 

They were his friends! His neighbors! Why couldn’t they see that he was standing here instead of some spirit?! 

A whip made of leathery vines cracked across his face, adding even more stinging agony to the cauldron of suffering. Spiritomb screamed in rage as another burst of fire from Infernape splattered across Reese’s shoulder, and the haze brightened. 

He had fallen to his knees on the dirt, which left him wide open for a pressurized blast of water in the face. He spluttered and tried not to swallow, but a forming puddle from the shot made him freeze at the reflection staring up at him. 

His eyes were glowing green, and his face was a revolving mass of shadows with a jagged mouth splitting it open. Unfamiliar symbols shone in an eerie green all across the keystone on his chest, which continued spewing darkness and spurts of blood that mingled with the water. 

_What the hell?! Is that me?! What did those maniacs do to me?!_

“Get back, monster!” 

“You’ve taken enough people!” 

“Floatzel, attack it again!” 

Reese peeled himself off of the now-damp earth and stumbled away from his home while jets of fire and water slammed into the ground around him, throwing around clods of dirt and grass with each blast. 

The ground erupted in spikes of stone around him, but somehow nothing hit him as he pushed his agonized, screaming body to move even faster. 

_“Enough!”_

The memory melted away into nothingness, splitting apart as Reese pried himself back into the world of the living. Three glowing eyes were staring down at him, concern present in each one even as Dreepy licked his nose. 

“Thanks, buddy,” Reese grunted as he pushed himself off of the ground with a grunt. “Did you guys get some rest?” 

Dusknoir’s snarky grunt wasn’t improving his mood, but at least Dreepy gave a happy nod. 

“Ah, stuff it, you old bastard,” Reese grumbled as his muscles and nerves recovered from the memory that had taken ahold of him. “How long was I out?” 

Bird Pokemon were chirping and singing around him, and he could see light filtering through one of the tunnel’s windows. Right, the tunnel...this throat of red brick that cut through a hill leading to Hullbury. 

After he’d seen Nessa off, Reese had begun his trek through Turffield’s rolling farmlands before finally coming across Route 5 to the east. After hours of walking through trails in the forest, with the only excitement being when he passed by some sort of Pokemon Nursery and set off a stampede of terrified baby Pokemon, he’d crossed a long bridge that spanned over the vast expanses of the Wild Area. 

Another massive city had loomed to the north, filled with medieval towers, walls, and banners depicting a dragon’s head. Reese had seen modern buildings mingling among the ancient constructs, creating a unique mix of old and new architecture that made him feel strangely nostalgic. 

After he’d crossed the bridge and moved into the tunnel, it had been dark, he’d been exhausted and he could feel Spiritomb stirring restlessly inside of him, so Reese had decided to take a short rest to let his body recover from the strain of hosting the ancient ghost. 

Then came the memories, and now it was apparently close to the evening, according to Dusknoir’s grunt. 

“Alright, let’s go,” Reese pushed himself to stand, brushing off his dust-covered and dirty long-coat in an attempt to clean himself up. “I’ll get both of you some Berries in town.” 

Dreepy cooed happily and even Dusknoir seemed excited by the offer. Honedge buzzed from within its Pokeball, reminding Reese not to forget it. 

Reese let his eyes adjust to the bright sunlight filtering into the tunnel before orienting himself and striding in the direction of Hullbury. His footfalls echoed throughout the tunnel, and the air became heavy with the scent of salt the further he walked. 

Light filled in the tunnel’s exit, making Reese avert his eyes a bit as it seared into his retinas. The smell of the sea was almost overpowering by the time he left the tunnel, being greeted by a wide, sprawling harbor town with buildings of bleached white brick while dozens of vessels bobbed upon the lazy surface alongside the docks jutting out into the sea. 

In a lower portion of the town was a sprawling market with stalls and colorful awnings filling a small picnic area of sorts, complete with polished wooden tables and benches. Shopkeepers hawked their wares and chatted to their customers as throngs of people moved about from stall to stall or ate at the tables, scores of Pokemon mixing with the crowds or splashing around in the sea. 

The scents of roasting food and freshly baked bread battled the sea air for supremacy, filling the town with a conflict that somehow seemed...natural. 

Reese strode down the main cobblestone road that wound around the harbor, passing by a restaurant that had a huge crowd gathered around it, with many people trying to look inside. Apparently, Chairman Rose was inside? 

Not important. Reese made his way towards the massive, bowl-shaped stadium where Nessa was likely waiting for her Challengers if she wasn’t already battling them. How many had gone through the town already? 

“You, there! Wait!” a blonde woman dressed in a League uniform ran up to him from the stadium, panic written across her face. “You’re 563, aren’t you?! The one Nessa likes?” 

Reese raised an eyebrow even as his chest blossomed with warmth. “My number is 563, yes. Not really sure about the Nessa part.” 

“Er, forget I said that,” the woman shook her head. “Nessa’s not here! Nobody can find her and we have several Challengers waiting to battle her!” 

“Not here? Didn’t she take an air taxi here yesterday?” Reese frowned. 

The League employee nodded. “She’s been battling since yesterday, but she had to leave earlier to meet with Chairman Rose. The meeting ended hours ago but now nobody can find Nessa.” 

A meeting? If she was missing, then perhaps it hadn’t gone well and she was blowing off steam or something? 

“Where does she normally go in town?” Reese asked the employee. 

“We’ve already swept the entirety of Hullbury and her favorite beaches, and the dock manifest doesn’t indicate that she took a boat out. She’s still in town, but nobody knows where,” the employee said, her panic seeming to grow with each passing second. “And we know she didn’t take the rail: we have video surveillance in the station and would have seen her if she had.” 

Reese nodded. “Where does she normally go if she’s upset or wants some alone time?” 

“Um, I’m not sure, but I’ve heard some people say that Nessa’s favorite spot is next to the lighthouse. We’ve already checked there, though,” the woman frowned. “And nobody is allowed in the lighthouse save for the maintenance crews.” 

They didn’t check the lighthouse? That was probably why nobody could find her. It was perfect: a secluded spot where nobody was usually allowed access to. 

“I’ll look around the docks, see if I can find her,” Reese said to the League employee, who nodded gratefully. 

“Thank you! Nessa really likes you for some reason, so maybe she’ll let you find her,” the woman turned and ran back to the stadium, where more uniformed employees were chatting to pedestrians, likely asking if they’d seen the wayward Gym Leader. 

“For some reason, indeed,” Reese muttered as he swept his eyes over Hullbury until they came to rest on the rising stone and glass spire that was the lighthouse. “You’d think she would be terrified of me because of Turffield and the attack in the Wild Area.” 

Dusknoir added its two cents to the conversation as they made their way down the streets towards the docks and the lighthouse, Reese scanning the crowds of people and Pokemon in case he randomly caught a glimpse of his quarry. Not that it was ever that easy. 

“You’re not surprised she likes me, really?” he glanced at the ghost as it nodded. “You know what I am, what just being around me did to her. She should hate me, at the very least, just like everyone else eventually does.” 

Dusknoir heaved a weary sigh but said nothing else as the group eased their way through the crowds, earning snarls and wary looks from Pokemon and confused expressions from the Trainers whose partners were suddenly becoming aggressive. 

The sightseeing platform next to the lighthouse was sparsely populated with a few tourists and an older couple seated on a bench, but nobody was paying attention to Reese as he slunk over to the lighthouse and tested its heavy-looking metal door, blatantly ignoring its bright red AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY sign. It swung open from his prodding, well-oiled hinges barely making any noise, and Reese hurried inside before anyone could see him, shutting the door behind him as he did. 

Idiots: of course, nobody bothered to check the lighthouse. He’d have to lie to the League staff and tell them Nessa was somewhere else in order to keep her hiding spot private. If she was actually here, that is. 

The base of the lighthouse was a simple hodgepodge of electrical equipment, consoles, and a large generator with cables and pipes going into the walls. Iron stairs spiraled upwards in the tight throat of the tower, no doubt leading to the room where the lamps that projected the beams of light were held. Bright bulbs of fluorescent lights lit up the inside wherever the windows and the light streaming through them did not, and the faint smell of cleaning solutions mingled with that of oil and wet metal. 

Reese began walking up the spiral staircase, his hunch seeming more and more plausible at the sound of female voices echoing down from the top of the tower. One was definitely Nessa, and she did indeed sound upset. 

“I cannot just give up!” her words became clearer as Reese climbed higher, Dreepy curled comfortably around his shoulders. “I’ve worked too hard pursuing my modeling career to just walk away!” 

“I know, dear, I know,” an older, gentler woman’s voice cooed. “And you are an absolutely gorgeous model. I don’t understand why the Chairman wants you to stop.” 

Oh, was that what their meeting earlier had been about? Rose wanted Nessa to give up her modeling career? For what? 

Reese walked up as quietly as he could, mulling over the best way to enter the conversation without overhearing something he really shouldn’t. Maybe he should make more noise? 

Nessa kept talking with the older woman-maybe her mother or something? - and Reese stopped before a glass door leading to the outside of the tower. Nessa was indeed standing on the catwalk surrounding the lamp room, leaning on the metal railing as she spoke to a woman who was clearly her mother. 

Her face was tight with suppressed anger and dismay as she talked, her hands clenching the railing while her mother listened with a sympathetic expression. 

Okay, how was he going to do this? 

Dusknoir grunted and floated forward, lifting its large hand up to the door before swiveling its head towards Reese. 

“Don’t you fucking dare,” Reese growled. “Don’t. You. Fucking. Dare.” 

If Dusknoir could have given him a shit-faced grin, it probably would have done so as it rapped its knuckle against the glass door. 

“You Arceus-damned bastard,” Reese hissed as both women turned to face their possibly unwelcome eavesdropper. 

“Reese?!” Nessa exclaimed, “How did you find me here?!” 

Reese sighed and strode out into the salty air, shooting Dusknoir a raised finger behind his back. “The stadium staff are panicking, wondering where you disappeared to. The one who approached me said something about the lighthouse being off-limits and I figured they didn’t actually check it.” 

“Oh, this is Reese?” Nessa’s mother looked him up and down with an appraising eye. “I can see why my daughter likes you so much.” 

“Mom!” Nessa spluttered with a horrified expression etched onto her face. 

“Uh, what?” Reese found himself similarly dumbfounded by the woman’s bluntness. 

“T-that’s enough of that!” Nessa declared, shooting her smirking mother a glare. “Sorry for making you follow me around, Reese.” 

Reese shook his head, trying to ignore the gentle warmth that filled his chest. “It’s fine. I heard you had a meeting with Rose and, uh, you were upset about what he wanted.” 

Nessa’s face fell, then she turned to lean on the railing again with her gaze on the sea as the sinking sun colored the surface with fire. “You heard, huh? Yeah, Chairman Rose wants me to give up my modeling career and focus on being a Gym Leader full-time.” 

Oh, that would explain why she was so upset. 

“Why? You seem to be fantastic at both,” Reese mused, at which Dusknoir made an approving sound. 

Nessa gave him an appreciative smile. “You and my mother are some of the few who think so. A lot of my modeling fans think I should quit being a Gym Leader and devote my time to being a model full-time, instead.” 

“They don’t appreciate your talent, my dear,” her mother sighed. “You’ve worked so hard to become so skilled as a Trainer and a model. Your father and I couldn’t be prouder.” 

If Nessa wasn’t blushing before, she certainly was now, an embarrassed smile on her lips as she looked at Reese. “I’m sorry, Reese. You came to find me and my mother and I are chatting your ears off about my career troubles. I’ve kept my Challengers waiting long enough.” 

“If I can help at all, let me know,” Reese didn’t know what compelled him to say that- maybe he liked Nessa more than he wanted to admit? - but it felt right. “I guess I’ll see you on the pitch.” 

Nessa smiled at him and held her hand out. “I look forward to it, and thank you for your offer. You’re a good friend, Reese.” 

“Friend?” Reese frowned. “You sure about that? Pokemon either run away from me or try to kill me everywhere I go. You got attacked because of me.” 

“Reese,” Nessa strode forward and punched his shoulder, making him wince as pain rippled from the blow, and then she pulled him into a warm, salty-smelling embrace. “You had Dusknoir carry me in the Wild Area to keep me safe, after you’d done everything you could to make sure people didn’t harass me on the rail line. You’re a good person, and I certainly would like to consider you a friend.” 

A friend...how long had it been since anyone had ever said they’d wanted him as one? Reese accepted Nessa’s embrace and cautiously placed his own arms around her, wondering how many centuries had passed since he’d held someone like this. 

“Come on, dear, you can do better than that,” Nessa’s mother sighed, which made her flinch. “It’s clear to me that you like him, and the last person you dated that you actually liked was Sonia, and that was years ago.” 

“Mom, please stop,” Nessa let go of Reese as if he were on fire, her glare directed at her sighing mother. “Sonia and I both agreed that dating was not beneficial and we’ve been best friends, since. We’re both happy with how things are.” 

“I know, I know! At least Reese isn’t obsessed with his phone like Raihan,” the older woman shrugged. 

“That was one date, Mom! And it lasted for not even ten minutes before I got sick of him!” Nessa retorted. “He would not stop taking selfies!” 

Reese glanced at Dusknoir to see the Ghost staring back at him with visible confusion in its eye. 

“What the fuck is happening here?” Reese mouthed at the Ghost, who shrugged in response. 

“Ugh, I’m sorry, Reese,” Nessa looked embarrassed as she turned back to him, but she couldn’t quite meet his gaze. “Can you please give me a few moments with my mother?” 

“I should be leaving the two of you alone,” the older woman said with a sly chuckle, which made both Reese and Nessa freeze. 

Why did he feel like he was on fire? Was he on fire? Did some Fire type put an Ember on him when he wasn’t looking or something? 

Reese glanced down just to make sure he wasn’t actually burning, and he wasn’t. Nope, no smoke or flames or anything. 

“I’ll, uh, be on my way,” why could he not put words together well? 

Nessa sighed and shook her head before giving Reese an apologetic look. “I look forward to seeing you in the stadium. Er, facing you in the stadium is what I meant.” 

Why did she suddenly look so cute with her embarrassed face? And why was her mother smirking at him? 

“Dusknoir, help,” Reese muttered under his breath. 

Dusknoir shook its head in a silent _‘You’re on your own, buddy’_. 

Well, fuck you too, old friend. 

“Whatever you meant, I look forward to it as well,” he managed to say without biting his tongue off. 

“You two are adorable,” Nessa’s mother said, which made Nessa release a squeaking noise. 

“Mom! I am an adult, not a teenager going on her first date!” 

It was admittedly adorable, if Reese was being honest. 

He mentally slapped himself. What the fuck was he thinking?! Bad Reese! Get the fuck out of here until you fuck up everything even more! 

“Um, see you,” he turned, almost ran into the door, then managed to walk down the stairs to the base of the lighthouse without tripping and killing himself. 

Reese glanced outside to make sure nobody was watching and pushed his way out of the lighthouse, shutting the heavy door behind him as quietly as he could. Dreepy squeaked on his neck, making him jump as it broke its silence. 

“Oh, hush, you,” he grunted, shooting Dusknoir a glare as it phased through the walls to join him. “And thanks for the help. I really appreciate it, buddy.” 

The Ghost actually laughed at him. 

Reese sighed and shook his head, his mind wandering to the Gym Challenge as he moved away from the lighthouse. What do the Gym Leaders do after their part of the circuit was completed? Maybe he could see if Nessa wanted to join him on the journey through Galar after all of her Challengers had gone through. 

No. 

He was a danger to everyone around him, and he would rather rip this thrice-damned Keystone out of his chest and embrace oblivion than be the cause of Nessa being hurt. 

Spiritomb whined inside of him, advising him not to do that unless he wanted to become the center of a massive explosion of dark energy that would likely rip apart the souls of everyone in the vicinity. 

Right, let’s not do that. 

“Alright,” Reese clapped his hands together and looked at his two Pokeball-less partners while Honedge buzzed in its confinement. “I believe I promised the three of you Berries, did I not?” 


	8. Treading Water

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up: this is a rather long chapter because I couldn't find a good place to stop until I had about fifteen pages done XD  
> I hope I did all the characters justice and feel free to leave your thoughts on what happened!

The roar of the crowd deafened her, coupled with the announcer’s blaring commentary ripping through her eardrums each time she battled. She was beginning to understand why Milo never had one commentate his own battles: she was rapidly getting sick of hearing the announcer’s booming voice after battling Challengers endlessly for almost three days. 

Nessa sighed as she sat down heavily in her locker room, waiting for the ringing in her ears to fade as she unscrewed the cap of her metal water bottle and downed a small stream of the cool liquid. She wanted this to be over with, but her battles weren’t going by nearly as quickly as Milo’s had. They dragged on and on, with Nessa winning just as many battles as she lost, and she found herself wanting to see Reese again. 

When he’d come to her in the lighthouse the other day, all of her anger and frustration about Chairman Rose had been almost sucked out of her, leaving her with warm happiness that actually made her giddy. It had been strange, of course, suddenly having her negative emotions drawn out of her, but she certainly hadn’t been complaining about it. 

She’d never been great at handling her temper, having actually ripped her hair out in frustration when she’d been younger, and Nessa did admit that she’d been taking her current frustrations out on her Challengers for the past two days. Every time she stepped out onto the pitch, she was reminded of Chairman Rose’s scathing words to her and found herself clenching her jaw and her fists as anger and annoyance went to war inside of her. 

Her staff had quickly taken note of her agitation: they’d either been extra nice to her lately or were staying as far away from her as humanely possible. It took everything she had to keep her words kind and supportive whenever she spoke to a Challenger after their match, regardless of whether she won or lost. She wished she could be with Reese, if only to forget Chairman Rose for a few minutes. 

Nessa had looked for him in the stands during her battles, her heart sinking each time she failed to catch sight of him. She sighed and shook her head as cool air from the AC washed over her, her thoughts lingering on Reese and why she liked him so much. He was strange, mysterious, and he was quite pleasant to look at, but he also gave the impression that his whole life had been spent in isolation, filled with loneliness as he was shunned by the world around him. 

“Your next Challenger is Number 563, Nessa,” Judith, her blonde League Coordinator, announced, and Nessa’s spirits rose immediately. “He blew right through the Water Challenge.” 

“Reese? How many more are there after him?” Nessa’s heart soared in her chest, and she had to stop herself from smiling like an addled schoolgirl. 

Judith smirked at her. “About five, give or take. You certainly seem excited about seeing your Challenger again.” 

“ _My_ Challenger?” Nessa repeated, her heart skipping a beat. “What are you talking about?” 

“Nessa, come on, you aren’t even being subtle,” Judith scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Everyone can see that you’ve been agitated and moody after meeting Chairman Rose, and the first mention of Reese got you excited and actually more like your usual self. There are rumors going around that you’re dating him, you know.” 

Nessa spluttered, almost choking on her next drink of water. “Why haven’t I heard any of those?!” 

“Because you’re too busy pining after Reese to notice that people are clearly seeing how much you like him?” Judith snickered. 

Her face was burning and her words caught in her throat, which only made Judith’s smile widen. 

“You know, you should do something a little special for Reese when you go out to meet him on the pitch,” the League Coordinator suggested. “I’m sure the crowd will love it!” 

“What did you have in mind?” Nessa really didn’t want to know the woman’s answer, but damn it she was curious! 

“Something that’s not too over the top but displays how you like him,” Judith mused. “And don’t bother trying to deny it.” 

“Make ready to go out on the pitch!” an automated voice blared from the locker room’s speakers. 

“Like what?” Nessa wondered as she rose, setting aside her water bottle as she looked at Judith. 

“I’m sure you’ll figure something out,” the coordinator smirked as she nudged Nessa towards the tunnel. “Good luck!” 

Damn you! 

Nessa inhaled deeply as she strode towards the pitch, her pulse pounding her head as her thoughts raged inside of her. She was happy to see Reese again, yes, but how did she like him? In what way? Perhaps she should just go with it and see what happened? 

Lights blinded her once again and the roaring of the faithful people filling the stands shook the air as she entered the arena, her eyes immediately focusing on the figure striding towards her from the other end of the pitch. Her nerves faded immediately as she met his gaze, a shiver going up her spine while they continued striding towards one another. The invisible gravity that urged her towards him was already ghosting across her body and drawing her agitation and annoyance out of her. 

It took all of her willpower to resist the desire to reach out and embrace him as they stopped mere feet apart to face one another. 

“Well, here we are,” Reese sighed, smoothing his uniform and offering Nessa a small smile that made her heart skip a beat. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to get in to see your matches, since an annoying little cake or ice-cream Pokemon thing shredded my entry ticket. It was definitely a Fairy type, but I have no clue what it was called.” 

“An Alcremie? It’s more like a cake than ice-cream.” Nessa fought to keep her laugh contained as she pictured a little Alcremie attacking Reese to destroy his ticket. “Well, you’re here now. Don’t think I’m going to go easy on you.” 

On an impulse, she lifted her fingertips to her lips and blew him a kiss, which elicited a loud cheer from the stands. 

“I would hope not,” Reese’s wicked grin almost melted her, his green eyes lit up with anticipation even as his cheeks colored a bit from embarrassment. “Let’s do this.” 

They turned away from one another, and Nessa’s blood turned cold with rage at the sight of Chairman Rose seated in the stands, an easy smile on his face as his calculating eyes bore into her. His assistant, Oleana, was scribbling notes into a notepad while talking softly to a man next to her, but Nessa could feel the woman’s regard. 

Nessa pivoted on her heels to turn her back to the Chairman, her anger dissipating the moment her eyes met Reese’s. He nodded encouragement to her, and warmth rippled through her body. The strange necklace he wore around his neck, the one that she’d returned to him in Wedgehurst, flashed beneath his uniform shirt, making him glance down at it before turning his attention back to Nessa. 

Nessa snapped her left leg upwards into an almost perfect straight line as she clenched her Pokeball before throwing it high. Reese winced and actually rubbed his hips, which drew a small smile from Nessa while she fought the urge to laugh. Drednaw roared as it stomped its stumpy legs against the grassy knoll, and Nessa didn’t miss how its glare immediately locked onto Reese. 

On the other side of the field, a Honedge burst into being from Reese‘s Pokeball, its metallic voice shrieking as it pulled its bladed body from its sheathe, steel gleaming in the floodlights. 

“Nessa immediately starts out with her Drednaw to meet Challenger 563’s Honedge!” the announcer blared, immediately killing Nessa’s mood as his too-excited voice slammed into her skull. “This will be quite an interesting matchup, folks!” 

Honedge grasped its sheathe with its ribbon-like hand, floating easily before its trainer while its lone eye bore into Drednaw. Nessa could almost feel the thirst for blood radiating from both Pokemon, and it charged the air with volatile electricity that made her heart rate spike. 

“Let’s get this started!” Nessa brushed her fingers against her Dynamax Band’s Wishing Star, the device spitting out power as she recalled Drednaw and sent the surge into its Pokeball. 

She hurled her Dynamax partner skyward, turning back to Reese and grinning at him as Drednaw’s massive body crashed into the stadium grounds, its roar blasting her eardrums as her long hair whipped around her head. The bun she’d styled the black and blue locks in kept the strands away from her eyes, which left her sight of Reese unobstructed. 

“Nessa immediately Dynamaxed her Drednaw!” the announcer gasped as his voice fought the roaring cheers for supremacy in destroying Nessa’s hearing. “She’s going all or nothing with a single Pokemon!” 

Nessa dared to look over her shoulder at Rose, smirking at him as she noted the surprised interest in his eyes. He nodded as if to say ‘show me you deserve to be a Gym Leader’, and her anger surged again as powerful winds from the Dynamax-darkened clouds buffeted her body. 

Reese was actually grinning as their eyes met again, and she caught a glimpse of a dark spiral forming in his green irises for a split second before they were back to normal. 

“Let’s start this, shall we, Honedge?” his voice was barely audible, but his partner’s affirmative screech rattled Nessa’s bleeding ears. “Metal Claw! Go for Drednaw’s neck!” 

The ghostly blade shot forward, gleaming in the purple haze that filled the arena. 

“Drednaw, charge up for a Max Geyser!” Nessa ordered, knowing that her partner could take a few blows from the tiny sword. 

Honedge’s body flashed as it slashed viciously at Drednaw’s armored body, metal ringing with each attack it made. Sparks skittered in the haze as Honedge continued hacking away at Drednaw, whose massive mouth opened wide enough to swallow a house. 

“Honedge, stay on him! Don’t let Drednaw get a clear shot!” Reese shouted, and Nessa had to give him credit for his sharp thinking. 

Massive droplets of Dynamax-charged water collected around Drednaw’s fanged mouth, coalescing into a massive torrent. 

“Honedge, use Metal Sound right into its ear!” Reese barked. 

Wait, what? 

Honedge darted right next to the hole of Drednaw’s ear and shrieked with the ferocity of dozens of nails being drawn on chalkboards, making Nessa’s headache shred the inside of her skull. 

Drednaw howled in agony, which made its gathering power explode in its face with a torrent of seawater that drenched Nessa and almost blasted her off her feet. She stumbled backwards, spitting seawater out of her mouth and shaking her head to clear her vision. 

“Ooh! That was a clever use of Metal Sound by Challenger 563! Drednaw just spent one of its three shots of Dynamax Energy with that explosion!” 

Two more moves were all she had left before Drednaw’s Dynamax wore off, so she would have to use them wisely. 

“Nice one!” Nessa actually found herself enjoying this as she looked back at Reese, not caring in the slightest that she was grinning like a maniac or sopping wet. 

Drednaw’s entire body rumbled with its angry growl, one that Nessa had heard many times before. 

“Easy, Drednaw,” she said to it, which made it turn its head to glance at her. “Get ready to attack again.” 

“Shadow Sneak, Honedge!” Reese barked. 

“Hone!” the blade melted into shadow and then slithered across the floor in a pool of inky black, wrapping around Drednaw’s closest leg like a serpent. 

“Throw it off!” Nessa ordered. 

Drednaw kicked its leg out as much as it could, launching poor Honedge back towards Reese as the sword Pokemon emerged from its shadow in a daze. 

“Now: Max Geyser!” 

Drednaw gathered power around its gaping mouth and fired a torrent of Dynamax-boosted water at Honedge, the tiny sword vanishing under the resulting tsunami. Reese got drenched as well, and Nessa saw him spitting out water and wiping it out of his eyes. 

“Honedge has been taken out with a Max Geyser!” the announcer boomed, which drew Nessa’s attention from Reese to the unconscious sword Pokemon. “And Drednaw has enough charge to make one more attack!” 

Reese beamed his fallen partner back into its Pokeball, saying something Nessa couldn’t quite make out before reaching up and snapping his fingers. Dreepy rocketed out of nowhere with a screech, then cruised up to Nessa’s face in the time it took her to blink. 

Her heart lurched as the little Ghost was suddenly face-to-face with her, its wide eyes boring into her own. 

“Um, hi, Dreepy,” Nessa stammered, which made the Pokemon lift a small arm in a wave before darting back to Reese. 

“Challenger 563’s second and final Pokemon is Dreepy! Will Drednaw be able to keep up with its opponent’s incredible speed?” 

Nessa briefly wondered why Reese didn’t use Dusknoir in battle: it certainly seemed strong enough to hold its own. 

“Alright, Drednaw: let’s take careful aim with this last Max Geyser!” she called to her partner, which made that low grumbling noise again. “We only have one shot.” 

“Dreepy, go high!” Reese ordered, his partner a blur as it obeyed. 

Dreepy’s glowing eyes left a trail behind it as it darted skyward, moving so fast that Nessa realized Drednaw had no chance whatsoever of actually hitting the little Ghost no matter how well it aimed. 

Damn...what was she going to do now? 

Drednaw huffed, and Dynamax power poured into the stadium floor. 

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?!” Nessa demanded as a towering wall of brown stone erupted from the battlefield, growing almost as tall as Drednaw. “You can’t hit Dreepy with Max Rockfall! It’s too high up!” 

A sinister chill rippled through her chest as Drednaw looked back at her, the fury and rage glimmering in its eyes making her next command die in her throat. Then Drednaw butted the wall of stone with its head, making it tumble forward. 

Time slowed to a crawl, giving Nessa ample opportunity to feel the full force of the horror that now wrapped its claws around her heart as the only other target on the battlefield lifted his annoyed gaze to the massive rock now tumbling towards him. 

“REESE!” was all Nessa could force from her throat as she slammed her fingers against her Dynamax Band in a desperate attempt to disperse her partner’s attack. 

Reese lifted both of his fists up before the Max Rockfall collapsed on top of him with an arena-shaking boom, followed by a horrified gasp from the crowd. 

“M-my word!” the announcer spluttered in a wavering voice. “Nessa’s Drednaw just attacked Challenger 563 with Max Rockfall!” 

The stands erupted in hubbub, people shouting and hollering for help as a medical team led by a white and pink-clad Nurse Joy scrambled onto the field. Nessa ignored her shrinking Drednaw as the last of the Dynamax energy dissipated, sprinting as fast as her legs would carry her towards the disappearing rubble from Max Rockfall. 

“Reese!” she reached the flattened grass of where he’d been standing, her heart hammering in her chest as icy fear coursed through her veins and cold seawater ran in rivulets down her body. “Reese?!” 

No...where was he?! There was no sign of him anywhere! 

“Where did he go?!” Joy and her medical staff skidded to a halt, professional gazes roaming the field. “Nessa? Did you see him?” 

“What is that?!” one of the staff yelped, pointing at the ground. 

Nessa looked down to see a deep puddle of shadows forming a few feet away, and Dusknoir rose out of it with an ominous sucking sound. 

“Noir,” it grunted, its ‘face’ glowing with golden light as its hollow body opened like a pair of jaws. 

Nessa almost cried as Reese was spat out of his partner’s body, his voice a series of pained cursing as he tumbled against the ground. She practically threw herself onto the pitch beside him, ignoring how the turf scratched against her skin and how she threw droplets of water everywhere as she reached out to Reese. 

“Stop!” Joy shouted, and one of Dusknoir’s thick hands grabbed Nessa’s arm. “Don’t touch him!” 

Dusknoir hauled her back, making her arm scream in protest, and Nessa was about to snap at the Pokemon when one look at Reese made the words die in her throat. 

The young man’s eyes were wide and manic, glowing green as wispy darkness curled upward from his skin in waves. His head jerked back and forth at the people surrounding him, and he scrambled back as Joy tried to get closer to him. The seawater that had drenched him was gone, rendering his clothes and body bone-dry. Unlike Nessa, who was still thoroughly soaked and struggling not to shiver from the chill. 

“Stay back!” he yelled, pure panic emanating from his voice. “Don’t touch me! You aren’t taking me! Not again!” 

“Dusknoir, what happened?!” Nessa demanded. 

“I think I know,” Joy said softly, motioning for her staff to back off. “Dusknoir’s body is thought by some to be a portal of sorts to the spirit world, so when it took Reese inside of it...” 

“Shadow! Where are you?!” Reese yelled, his panicked voice making Nessa’s heart ache. 

“Hey, there’s something on top of the stadium!” the announcer called, his voice making thousands of eyes turn skyward. 

A small dark shape was indeed standing on the upper scaffolding of the stadium, transforming into a blur as it leaped into the stands and sprinted through the mass of confused and shouting spectators. 

Nessa watched in awe as the shape streaked out of the stands, landed on the pitch, and sprinted full speed towards Reese. It skidded to a halt with a snarl, and Nessa felt her breath catch in her lungs. 

Its face and the crescent horn growing from the side of its head were a deep scarlet color, its white fur tinted a similar red hue as its lithe body was planted protectively in front of Reese. 

“Is that an Absol?” one of the staff gasped. 

“Why is it red? Aren’t they black and white?” 

“Shadow!” Reese cried, and the Absol gave a short bark of affirmation. “I thought I’d felt you nearby earlier!” 

This was Shadow? Nessa’d been expecting some sort of Ghost type, if she was being honest. 

Dreepy’s shriek of rage made Nessa look over her shoulder to where the little dragon was dive-bombing Drednaw, blasting the lumbering turtle Pokemon with gouts of Dragon Rage as Drednaw snapped its jaws in frustration at the flitting annoyance. 

“Drednaw, that’s enough!” Nessa yelled, reaching for her Pokeball with the hand Dusknoir wasn’t holding captive. “You’ve already done enough damage!” 

A burst of red and white shot past her with blinding speed, red claws glowing with dark energy and exploding in a small cloud of dust and dirt as Shadow pounced on the creature responsible for attacking Reese. Drednaw shrieked in pain as Shadow’s claws raked across its body, and Nessa was too stunned to say anything as Shadow actually lifted the turtle Pokemon into the air with its forelegs and slammed it violently onto the ground. 

Shadow leaped back, its horn glowing a bright pink and purple, then jerked its head in a scything motion as blades of energy cut through the air. Drednaw careened backwards and crashed onto the pitch, where it lay motionless as Dreepy burped another gout of Dragon Rage over its shell before flitting over to Reese. 

Shadow turned its back on the unconscious Drednaw and then kicked some dust on its opponent before striding over to Reese. Some sort of strange collar peeked out from beneath the ample fur on Shadow’s neck, and Nessa could have sworn she saw a black and white stone gleam on it. 

“Shadow,” Reese’s voice was hoarse and he reached out to the Absol. “They were all reaching for me...grabbing me...trying to rip me apart. I can still hear them...There were so many.” 

Shadow gently leaned against Reese before anyone could stop it, letting him wrap his arms around it as it placed its forehead against his. It vocalized softly, vibrating gently against Reese. 

“It’s not affected?” one of the staff wondered as Reese’s body continued to gush dark energy that Shadow completely ignored. 

“You can let go of me,” Nessa murmured to Dusknoir, who quickly released her arm. 

She knelt close by Reese but far enough away that Joy’s staff didn’t yell at her again, and she watched as the poor guy clung to his Absol as if it was the only thing in this world that could protect him. 

“Good people of Galar, the situation is now under control!” Chairman Rose’s voice filled the stadium, Nessa’s rage boiling again as she looked up to see the man striding towards the cluster of people around her. “Forgive me, but I must declare that this portion of the Gym Challenge has now been completed! The remaining Challengers will receive their Water Badges and will be allowed to progress until they are defeated, and rest assured that the Pokemon League will conduct a thorough investigation into this unfortunate incident!” 

His gaze never left Nessa as he spoke his last sentence, each word a silent accusation that jabbed her at her very core. Hot rage made its way through her, but she turned back to Reese and tried to force Rose to the very back of her mind. A bead of water hung off of her eyelash, and she swiped at it with her hand. 

“Sa,” Reese’s voice made her heart jolt and she realized he was looking at her. “Nessa?” 

“Reese, how are you feeling?” she asked, resisting the urge to reach out and take his hand into hers. 

He reached up and rubbed his head, the dark energy emanating from him notably faded and his eyes much calmer. “Like I just got dragged into a spirit world where countless souls were trying to rip me apart to get my body. Other than that, I feel just fucking peachy. At least everyone looks normal, now.” 

Shadow rubbed its horn against his head with the tenderness of a parent consoling their child. Reese laughed a bit and rubbed Shadow’s head, making it murmur happily. 

Nessa thought her heart would burst just from his laugh alone. 

“The living do not belong in the world of the dead,” Reese’s expression hardened. “That was...a horrifying experience, to say the least.” 

“I agree,” Rose butted in, which made Shadow snarl as it protectively shielded Reese with its body. “But why did it have to happen, I wonder?” 

Nessa clenched her fist hard enough to hurt, but her heart lifted slightly at how Reese glared at the Chairman. 

“Nessa, I believe we’ve already spoken about how you’re allowing your potential to go to waste with your...distractions, have we not?” Rose turned his cold gaze to Nessa, judgement glittering in his dark eyes. “You’ve shown me that you aren’t qualified to-” 

“Are you done griping about something that wasn’t Nessa’s fault?” Reese spoke up, cutting Rose off and making the Chairman balk. 

“What do you mean?” Rose recovered quickly, raising an eyebrow at Reese. 

“I am a magnet for Pokemon attacks,” Reese said, his body trembling as he tried to push himself to stand. 

Nessa immediately moved herself to his side, taking ahold of his arm that wasn’t around Shadow and shifting his weight against her body. Shadow helped push as Nessa gently hauled Reese onto shaking legs, the warmth of his body sinking into her own even as energy rippled into her flesh from being in contact with him. She was getting him wet again, but she was just relieved that he was okay. 

“A magnet for Pokemon attacks?” Rose repeated. “Do explain, my dear boy.” 

“I was cursed by a powerful Banette when I was younger; a strong Grudge-type curse that essentially made me a living conduit of rage,” Reese grunted. “Stronger Pokemon are fed by the curse’s effects and attack the source of it, me, while weaker Pokemon flee. It affects every single type in that way aside from Ghost or Dark types, which is why this odd group follows me around.” 

Rose stared at him for a long while, and Nessa could almost see the gears turning in the man’s head. 

“Don’t believe me?” Reese guessed, giving a hollow laugh. “I don’t blame you, but don’t blame Nessa for something that wasn’t her fault. If anything, I’m impressed that she was able to keep control of her Drednaw for so long before it finally disobeyed her to attack me.” 

Nessa fought down the flush that followed his praise, lightly squeezing his arm in what she hoped would be seen as an appreciative gesture. 

“That is...unfortunate, but it explains the unusual energy readings our devices have been detecting from you,” Rose murmured, a thoughtful expression on his face. “We kept receiving readings not too dissimilar to a Ghost type whenever you were around, and we thought perhaps it was just your Dreepy or your Dusknoir.” 

“No, it was me,” Reese shook his head. “If you feel I am too dangerous to be allowed to continue with your Challenge, then I will gladly hand over the band and uniform.” 

“What?” Nessa turned her head to face Reese, frowning at the defeated and exhausted expression on his face. “Reese?” 

“I won’t allow myself to be a danger to others, especially if it hurts Nessa,” Reese shook his head. 

She was certain her face was burning now, her heart beating at several miles per second in her chest. 

“That is admirable, but you are a talented Trainer and I would hate to see you disqualified because of this unfortunate circumstance,” Rose shook his head. “You may continue with the Challenge, but we will be taking extra precautions to ensure that your...curse doesn’t cause this to happen again.” 

Reese faltered in Nessa’s hold, and she draped his arm over her shoulder before wrapping her left arm around his waist. 

“Would you take him to the Pokemon Center, Nurse Joy?” Rose asked, and the woman nodded. “Nessa, my dear, I would like to speak with you in private regarding this...debacle.” 

Anger made her grip on Reese’s waist tighten, and she fought down a startled jump as his warm fingers wrapped around hers. 

“If it’s not too much trouble, perhaps Nessa could help me to the Pokemon Center, instead?” Reese spoke up, his words making Nessa’s heart beat even faster. “She already has a good hold on me and I don’t think I could stay up if she let go.” 

He squeezed her hand, and Nessa fought down a sigh at the gesture. 

Rose frowned, but he glanced at Reese’s trembling legs before nodding slowly. “Perhaps that would be best. I will be waiting for you in my office in town afterwards, Nessa.” 

“Fine,” Nessa glanced to Reese and offered him a grateful smile. “Shall we?” 

He nodded. “Let’s.” 

They moved hesitantly towards the tunnel entrance that Nessa had come from, clinging to one another as Reese dragged one shaking foot in front of the other. Shadow followed alongside its partner while Dusknoir hovered behind them, and Reese stopped after a moment. 

“Do you need rest?” Nessa asked, concern flitting through her. 

“Where is Dreepy?” 

They looked back to see the little dragon trying to drag the unconscious Drednaw by its tail, not even budging the heavy turtle. 

“Dreepy, what are you doing?” Reese drawled, at which the Ghost chirped in response. “You are not dragging Drednaw to the nearest cliff and dropping it off. Get your butt over here.” 

With a groan and a bit of grumbling, Dreepy ceased its gruesome attempt of Pokecide and flitted over, hovering protectively above its Trainer’s head. 

“Thanks for that,” Nessa sighed as she fumbled to get Drednaw’s Pokeball out and recalled it. “Drednaw is stubborn, but it has a good heart most of the time.” 

“Sol,” Shadow grunted, at which Reese let out a long-suffering groan. 

“Shadow, you are not being a good influence on Dreepy right now. If I even see you two trying to steal Drednaw’s Pokeball...” Reese warned before the duo drudged forward again. 

When they pushed into the tunnel, itself and out of the public eye, Nessa turned her head and impulsively planted a kiss on Reese’s cheek. “Thank you for standing up for me back there.” 

He stumbled, but Shadow pressed itself up against his side to help Nessa keep him up. 

His skin was soft and warm and he tasted of sea water, but Nessa found herself wanting to kiss him again. 

“U-um, of course I did,” Reese stammered, not quite meeting her gaze as he shifted his head to glance at her. “You’re not to blame for this and I’ll not have you suffer because of me.” 

Guilt boiled in her chest. “Reese...I am so sorry that Drednaw attacked you. I didn’t think that...” 

He squeezed her hand again. “You. Are. Not. To. Blame. Drednaw are naturally very aggressive Pokemon, are they not? I thought something might happen, but I wasn’t expecting a tower of stone.” 

“I’m beyond glad you’re okay,” Nessa murmured as they moved through the locker room. “I was terrified that I’d killed you because I was too slow to stop Drednaw.” 

“I’m alive,” he said gently, squeezing her hand yet again. 

If she flushed any more, she would probably self-combust right then and there, if the bright buzz of happiness didn’t make her walk into a wall, first. Maybe she would dry herself off with this embarrassed heat? 

Good grief, she was thinking like a besotted moron! Focus, Nessa, focus! 

“I’m sorry,” Reese sighed heavily, which made Nessa halt in her tracks and nearly drop him. “Ever since I’ve entered your life, I’ve caused you nothing but trouble.” 

“Reese.” 

“You should hate me. I’ve gotten you attacked by Wild Pokemon, my curse almost made you faint, and now you’re in danger of losing your Gym Leader career because of me,” Reese murmured. 

“Reese.” 

“I honestly wouldn’t blame you if you just let go and dumped me on the ground here,” the ridiculous man continued rambling. “I was foolish to think I could actually get close to someone else after all this time. To have someone actually want to be around me.” 

“Reese, please shut the fuck up,” Nessa growled, tightening her grip on his waist and arm. “I care about you and I sure as hell am not going to let you talk crap about yourself over something that isn’t your fault.” 

She rarely cursed, but this was definitely one of those moments where the extra impact of the profanity added more weight and meaning to her words. 

“I like you, a lot, and I want to be around you,” she kept talking, the words almost gushing out of her. “True, things have been different and a bit dangerous since I’ve met you, but I’m truly glad that we came across each other in Wedgehurst.” 

Reese was silent as they continued their slow, agonizing trek through the too-bright halls of Hullbury Stadium, but he kept a firm hold on her hand. 

Had she said too much? Oh, dear Arceus, why couldn’t she have just kept her damn mouth shut?! And why was she still dripping water?! 

“Nobody has ever said that to me, before,” he finally spoke, his voice a bit hoarse and thick with emotion. “I...thank you, Nessa. I like you and being around you, too, although I’m still terrified that I’ll end up being the reason you get seriously hurt.” 

Oh! Her heart flipped in her chest at his words, and Nessa almost tripped over her own feet. 

Shadow made a sound similar to laughter on Reese’s other side, and Reese coughed. 

“Shadow, I am going to pretend you didn’t say that,” he grunted, embarrassed heat practically radiating from him. 

“What did it say?” Nessa asked, feeling a grin creeping across her lips against her will. 

“She,” Reese corrected. “Shadow is female and prefers to be referred as such, or else she gets mad at me. And as for what she said...that information will remain confidential because I will die of embarrassment.” 

A laugh bubbled out of Nessa’s throat before she could stop it, and she was again assailed by the urge to kiss Reese. 

“I suppose I won’t pry, then,” she said after managing to get herself under control. “You are quite cute when you’re embarrassed, though.” 

Reese coughed again, and Nessa took a moment to curse herself for blurting those words out. Under control, my ass! 

“Dusk. Dusknoir,” the larger Ghost rumbled, which made Reese’s head swivel to glare at it over his shoulder. 

Nessa glanced back at it as well, raising an eyebrow at how it was moving its large hands together like it was clapping, but stopping before its palms met. 

“If you weren’t already a Ghost, I would strangle you,” Reese growled, at which the Pokemon rumbled with laughter. 

They continued walking in silence, and Nessa wondered where her staff was while they approached the main entrance to the stadium. She braced herself for the attention that would come, the cameras and reporters and questions that would undoubtedly bombard them the second they entered the public eye. 

“This is going to be fun,” Reese muttered, at which Nessa could only nod. 

She could already hear voices coming from the end of the hallway, which led out to the main concourse, and she squeezed Reese’s hand. 

“Clear a path!” a stern voice was commanding, and Shadow pushed the door open to show that League employees had formed an aisle of sorts for the two Trainers to move through. 

They had been smart enough to leave their Pokemon inside their Pokeballs, probably on Rose’s orders, so that got rid of the risk of something else attacking Reese. 

Nessa kept her eyes forward as she helped Reese limp forward, gripping his warm body as tightly to her as she could. She could feel cameras watching their every move, setting her jaw as reporters started yelling questions from over the white uniforms separating the crowd from the stadium. 

“Please disperse!” her coordinator, Judith, was yelling over the hubbub. “We are not taking questions at this moment! Please disperse!” 

The reporters predictably ignored her. 

“Nessa, what happened out there?” 

“Do you have any comments for those who feel you cannot be trusted to control your Pokemon?” 

“Are you going to resign as Hullbury’s Gym Leader?” 

“I SAID WE ARE NOT TAKING QUESTIONS!” Judith bellowed, her lithe frame producing a frightening volume that made those near her jump. 

“Challenger 563, do you want Nessa removed as Gym Leader?” another reporter shouted. 

Nessa glanced at Reese and found him glaring at the woman who’d asked that question, her heart soaring as he firmly shook his head in response. 

“Challenger! Where did you find that shiny Absol?” 

They trudged forward, and Nessa felt Reese putting more of his weight on his own legs while they continued through the protective cordon of League employees separating them from the horde of flashing cameras and shouted questions. 

“I’m so sorry this happened,” she murmured to him, her voice almost drowned out by the peanut gallery. “And I’m soaking your clothes. My Arceus, how am I not dry, yet?” 

He actually chuckled. “I should be the one saying sorry, Nessa.” 

“Oh, shut up.” 

A woman in a blue blouse and white pants ducked under the arms of a League employee and approached with her Rotom Phone’s camera aimed at the duo. 

“Hey, get out of there!” 

“Someone get her!” 

Dreepy growled at the unwanted attention, but Reese murmured something even Nessa couldn’t make out and the little dragon fell silent. The duo stopped as the girl kept filming them, now blocking their path forward as the overwhelmed League staff tried to figure out how to eject her without breaking their lines. 

“Can you please move?” Nessa asked after unclenching her jaw. “Reese needs to get to the Pokemon Center and you’re blocking us.” 

“Are you going to give up your Gym Leader title?” the girl asked, aiming her camera at Nessa. “If you can’t even control your Pokemon, then why bother continuing?” 

Reese squeezed Nessa’s hand before she could respond, the strange vortex of energy around him drawing her embarrassment and anger out of her. Was it his curse feeding off of her negative emotions? Is that why she felt so happy around him? 

Warmth and joy bloomed in her chest, and Nessa felt herself straightening her back and steadying her grip on the young man next to her. 

“Please, move,” Reese rasped, his green eyes boring into the girl. “I do not think I can walk for much longer.” 

The girl hesitated, then lowered her phone with a slow nod. “I...I’m sorry. You were really good in the battle. You’re not quitting the Challenge, are you?” 

“No, I’m not,” Reese shook his head, then gave the girl a wry smile. “I will continue as soon as I get some rest.” 

“Good luck,” the girl moved back into the crowd as a League employee led her out of their cordon. 

“I can’t believe you deal with this kind of attention on a daily basis,” Reese muttered to Nessa as they continued down the road. “I admire you even more now.” 

Nessa’s face smoldered and she fought to keep her blustering tongue contained before she said something stupid. “Y-you get used to it.” 

“I can’t imagine that you get much time to yourself, being both a Gym Leader and a, um, beautiful model,” Reese mumbled, his hand growing clammy and sweaty in hers. 

Dusknoir chuckled again while Nessa’s heart did flips and dives inside of her chest, and Shadow continued escorting them towards the Pokemon Center. 

“Please hurry!” Joy was waving from the entrance, urgency etched across her face. 

“We’re moving as fast as we can!” Nessa snapped back, squeezing Reese’s hand. 

They limped into the finish line of the Center with no fanfare, only a worried-looking Nurse Joy who immediately had two of her staff grab Reese and haul him into the infirmary with her, leaving Nessa holding empty air while Dreepy shot after them. She lowered her arms, though her hands still tingled and her heart still raced in her chest. 

She stood there, dripping small rivulets of water onto the marble floor until another of the Center staff strode up to her and held out a towel. It smelled like antiseptic, but she took it anyway and gave the man her thanks. 

“Noir,” Dusknoir gently squeezed her shoulder after she began drying herself off with the itchy fabric of the towel. 

Its gratitude was almost radiating off of it, and it nodded to her as it cruised in the direction Joy and her staff had taken Reese. 

A furry form brushed against her leg and Nessa glanced down to see Shadow’s ruby-colored eyes staring up at her. She knelt next to the Pokemon, ignoring the fact that that viciously curved horn or wicked claws could easily shred her flesh. 

“Shadow, can I ask a favor of you, girl to girl?” she asked, at which the Pokemon nodded. “Watch over Reese for me, okay? I have to go meet Rose, but I’ll be back as soon as I can to check on him.” 

The Absol nodded again, a wry smile on it- _her,_ Nessa reminded herself- mouth as she barked something. 

Nessa grinned, thinking she understood the gist of what Shadow said. “You’re right: he does need some strong women to look out for him, doesn’t he?” 

Shadow made a sound similar to laughter before padding off after her partner, her claws clicking against the floor with each step. 

Nessa straightened her back and exhaled slowly, returning the towel to a nearby staff member before turning to the doors. 

It was time to face the chairman and her fate.


	9. A Rose's Thorns

Rose remained quiet as Nessa was shown into his office, her blue eyes defiant yet exhausted despite the sharp gaze she fixed upon him as she sat across from his desk. It almost sent a shiver up his spine, or perhaps that was the vent above his head steadily exhaling gusts of cooled air. 

This office was simple and well-tended to, but he much preferred his main installment in Wyndon. At least the large floor-to-ceiling windows behind his chair provided a beautiful view of the ocean and of the fishing vessels bobbing lightly upon the glittering blue expanse. 

Rose could do without the obnoxious, glaring white that splashed the walls, however. 

“Well? I assume you called me away from Reese for good reason,” Nessa finally broke the silence between them, her chair rustling as she shifted her weight in it, and Rose noted that her blue eyeshadow was smudged from being drenched in salt water. 

Reese. She continually called Challenger 563 by his name, and Rose hadn’t missed the way she’d kissed the young man back in the stadium, perhaps thinking that nobody could see them. 

Rose straightened his tie and schooled his face into a calm smile that ordinarily served to soothe those who spoke to him. It had the exact opposite effect on Nessa: she stiffened in her chair, her fingers absently tugging on strands of her slightly disheveled hair. 

“Nessa, my dear,” Rose kept his tone light yet firm, as if he were a parent reprimanding a child for some misbehavior. “Words cannot fully express how disappointed I am with your performance this year, especially that last battle.” 

Rage shone within her eyes, and her gloved hands clenched into fists, but Nessa admirably kept her composure as she continued to meet his gaze. 

“So you’ve said, Chairman,” her voice was stiff and well-controlled, but he could hear the exasperation just beneath her carefully chosen words. “Have you just brought me here to reignite our little argument again, or did you have something else?” 

Rose kept his smile painted across his face as he inwardly applauded her bluntness: it was quite refreshing, especially coming from a young woman who didn’t mince words. “Challenger 563.” 

“Reese,” Nessa corrected him, protectiveness flaring in her eyes as she folded her arms before her chest. “His name is Reese.” 

Rose nodded apologetically, his little test ending exactly as expected. “Reese. He is a curious one, is he not? A young man not from Galar purchases a home here and moves in just in time to be cajoled into the Gym Challenge by our very own Champion.” He kept his eyes on Nessa, gauging her reaction to his words as he continued. “A young man with a curse that enrages Pokemon around him and causes them to either attack him or flee from him. You were a victim of circumstances involving that curse, were you not?” 

He’d seen the broadcast outside of Motostoke, of course, and had been quite intrigued by how the infamously aggressive Pokemon of the abandoned tower had thrown themselves at a horde of attackers in order to protect one human. 

“So is Reese, and he has lived with this curse his whole life,” Nessa said coolly. “Compared to that, one attack means nothing to me.” 

“Especially since you were carried off to safety while he distracted the Wild Pokemon,” Rose pointed out, and Nessa clenched her jaw. 

“Not by choice,” she finally responded, her fingers tightly clenching her biceps. “He ordered his Dusknoir to grab me before I could do anything else.” 

Dusknoir...it was well known to be a Pokemon that rarely acted on its own accord, needing guidance from either the Spirit World or, in rare cases, the Trainer who had bonded with it. So why was this one following Reese around if he wasn’t its Trainer? 

“Yet he doesn’t use that Dusknoir in battle, does he?” Rose mused. “He only used Honedge and Dreepy against you.” 

Nessa shrugged, but she had relaxed slightly in an effort to combat her anger. “He never caught it or trained it. It just follows him around, as far as I know.” 

“Because of his curse,” Rose folded his fingers together into a steeple on his desk, letting his elbows rest on the gleaming, polished mahogany. “What do you know of it?” 

Nessa fidgeted just for a fraction of a second before her cold gaze focused back on Rose. “Only what he told me: that he was cursed by a Mega Banette when he was younger and that it enrages or terrifies Pokemon around him.” 

“A Mega Banette?” Rose repeated, curiosity flickering through his mind. 

Mega Pokemon were an anomaly that Galar had never had, and their understanding of the process was woefully lacking. He understood that Mega Pokemon were immensely powerful compared to their ordinary forms, but did one Mega Pokemon really have the capability to weave such a powerful curse? 

Oleana’s research and the readings they’d gotten off of their scanners said ‘No’. 

“That’s what Reese told me,” Nessa said, absently tapping her arm with her fingers. 

She did that when she was nervous, or worried about something-or in this case, someone- and Rose wondered just why she was so fixated on this Reese boy. His staff kept close tabs on the Gym Leaders during the Challenge, if only to ensure that they didn’t do anything foolish that would reflect poorly on the League, and they’d reported that Nessa had repeatedly gone out of her way to interact with Reese. 

“So I see,” Rose mused. “I found it quite admirable that he was willing to drop out of the Challenge just to ensure the safety of everyone else, especially you. He seems to have a noble spirit, no?” 

Nessa grit her teeth, her face falling just for a moment. “He doesn’t want anyone to be hurt because of him. He’s told me as such several times, especially after the tower.” 

“Do you feel he is too dangerous to be allowed to continue?” Rose asked, letting concern drip from each word. “If you could not control your own Dynamax Pokemon, who’s to say that this won’t happen again with the others?” 

His trap was laid, now all that remained was to see if Nessa would be caught in it. 

“I don’t believe he is dangerous to anyone but himself,” Nessa retorted, but Rose saw the flash of worry that shone in her eyes. “The Pokemon don’t attack anyone else, and he has his own partners to help him.” 

“Like that unusual Absol,” Rose admitted that his breath had caught in his chest when that Pokemon had first appeared. 

It was marvelous to behold, especially with its unusual shiny coloring. 

“Shadow,” Nessa nodded. 

Rose raised a well-trimmed eyebrow. “Pardon?” 

“Shadow,” Nessa repeated. “That’s her name.” 

Intriguing. So, that’s why Reese had been saying Shadow earlier. Rose had thought the boy had been babbling about the Spirit World. And the Absol apparently preferred to be referred to as female. 

“I see. Now, what do you think we should do regarding you and that debacle of a battle?” Rose asked, at which Nessa tensed again. “After all, your inability to control your Pokemon has already urged officials from all over Galar to demand that you rescind your position as Gym Leader of Hullbury.” 

“Are you going to fire everyone who can’t stop their Pokemon from succumbing to a powerful curse?” Nessa asked, each word almost as ice. “What if it was one of yours who did the same, Chairman?” 

A fair point, but none of the other Gym Leaders had a second job that took away time and effort from their main duties to the League. Nessa was a well-known model who captured hearts all over Galar, but a Gym Leader needed to be known for their capabilities as a Trainer rather than her beauty as a model. 

Nessa was competent, yes, but she was relegated to the first circuit of the Challenge for a reason. Her modeling career was holding her back, to say the least. 

“A good observation, my dear,” Rose nodded, noting how his words made her shudder. “But my question is why _you_ couldn’t control your Pokemon while, say, Milo could. We had no such incident involving him, did we?” 

She flinched at the mention of her supposed rival. “N-no, Chairman.” 

“Precisely,” Rose continued onwards with his assault, not giving Nessa any room to recover. “Now do you see why we are having this conversation, my dear? Surely you are as intelligent as you are beautiful? If you cannot control your own Pokemon against one Trainer while others in the League have shown that they do not have the same issues, then how can we trust you to be able to perform well during the semi-finals or elsewhere?” 

“That is not fair!” Nessa protested. “I...” 

“Have shown that I cannot trust you as a Gym Leader, especially where Reese is concerned,” Rose cut her off without mercy. “Because you are well-known across Galar and beloved by many of her people, I will grant you one last chance to prove that you can perform as Gym Leader. You will take part in the Finals, and you will be closely monitored to ensure that you perform as desired.” 

Nessa clenched her fists yet again. “But?” 

Rose smiled again: she was far smarter than many believed her to be. “You will be stripped of your Gym Leader privileges and be relegated to a Challenger’s status until the Finals. That means no access to the VIP rails and you’ll have to make your way to Wyndon by following the entire circuit on foot.” 

This would give her time to reexamine her priorities and to be alone with her thoughts, to decide just what it was that mattered more to her: her modeling career or her Gym Leadership. It would put her in a tough position, but Rose was confident that she would make the right choice after having time to look deep within herself. 

This would also temporarily remove Nessa as a concern and allow Rose to turn his attention to the enigma of Reese and his curse. 

Nessa was almost trembling with fury as she glared at Rose, but he was impressed by how steady her voice was when she finally spoke. 

“Is that all?” 

He nodded. “I trust you will use your time wisely, my dear. If you go to see Reese again, do give him my regards.” 

Nessa stood up so fast that her chair scraped against the floor, her posture stiff as she whirled on her heels and stormed out the door in a manner not unlike her nickname. Raging Wave, indeed. 

She was likely headed directly to the Pokemon Center, and to Reese, but Rose had anticipated that and had left orders with the Center’s League staff that none were to be allowed in to see the boy. His last words to Nessa had been little more than a taunt, although perhaps it had been too juvenile. 

No matter. 

Rose pushed a button on his intercom. “Oleana?” 

“Yes, Chairman?” her voice came through clearly, crisp and focused. 

“Bring up your findings on Reese’s curse, if you would. Have you managed to put together a model of its energy patterns?” 

“Yes, sir. I’ll bring them all up immediately,” Oleana answered before signing off. 

A few minutes later, his loyal and dutiful assistant strode into his office with several devices in her arms, including the scanners that were normally installed in the stadiums to measure Dynamax energy. 

In a flurry of activity, Oleana had set up the scanner to project its findings across her laptop and had the screen turned to Rose so he could examine it, himself. 

“What have you found?” Rose asked as he looked at the unusual readings etched across the device, frowning at the jagged, uneven spikes of energy present upon the screen. 

“Challenger 563, Reese, is telling the truth, to an extent,” Oleana reported as her lithe fingers tapped a few keys on the computer, which made the screen hone in on darker black and purple lines on the display. “He is cursed, without a doubt, but I feel he is lying about the origins of the curse.” 

Such strange formations...Rose had collected data on Galar’s cursed Yamask and Runerigus before and had seen firsthand what types of curse energy flowed in Galar, but none of them were even close to the readings that were displayed here. 

“As you know, curses tend to generate darker spiritual energies that coalesce externally around whoever is afflicted with it,” Oleana stated. “However, the energy we’re reading from Challenger 563 is focused internally rather than externally.” 

Rose raised an eyebrow. “How is that possible? He would have to be generating the curse, himself, for it to be that way.” 

“It’s because he is,” Oleana brought another device up and hit a few keys on it. “I did as you asked and constructed a virtual model of the curse energies, but it is unlike anything I have ever seen before. I ran it against Galar’s known Ghost types, especially those known for curses, but none of them match it.” 

She turned the screen to Rose, revealing a circular blob of energy that rippled and rotated like a whirlpool, larger and more virulent than anything he knew. 

“How intriguing,” he murmured, almost mesmerized by the swirling motion of the energy. “What else have you discovered about it?” 

Oleana tapped a key and swirls of light representing energy flow began to enter the unusual blob, which then glowed brightly in response. “The curse energy draws in and amplifies negative energy around it, enhancing its effects and generating an aura of malice. In Pokemon, that aura either scares them off or goads them into attacking its source, but it doesn’t really have too much of an effect on people that I’ve seen. It generates very specific wavelengths of spiritual energy, which ignores everyone whose energy isn’t compatible with it.” 

“How would it effect someone whose spiritual energy was attuned to it?” Rose wondered. 

Oleana frowned thoughtfully. “I haven’t run that simulation yet, but I can do so immediately. What are you thinking, sir?” 

“I’m wondering if it has an almost magnetic effect on those who are compatible with it,” Rose explained. “It draws in someone and holds them in place, compelling them to stay near the source.” 

Oleana’s eyes widened. “You think that Nessa...” 

“It is merely a hypothesis,” Rose said dismissively. “I would like to see what results you get before making any claims. And good work, as always. I can always count on you.” 

Oleana smiled at him, warmth in her eyes as she bowed her head in embarrassment. “Thank you, sir. I’ll set the simulation immediately to see what we get.” 

“Good work. I’m looking forward to seeing the results,” Rose nodded as his assistant gathered her materials before sweeping out of the room. “I’m very intrigued, Reese...just what are you?” 

This year’s Gym Challenge was certainly promising to be an interesting one. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Reese sat alone in the Pokemon Center, the bed cushy and comfortable despite the haze that still filled his head. He could still feel the invisible fingers of the dark, faceless spirits that had swarmed him the second Dusknoir had swallowed him up, their cold grasp tearing at his flesh and howling for his soul. 

Their screams and manic gibbering rattled about his skull, almost as thunderous as the impact of Drednaw’s attack on the arena floor, which he’d felt even from the Spirit World. 

Shadow placed her forelegs on the bed and barked softly, her presence a soothing balm in this chaos as her gentle words knifed through the darkness. 

“I’m okay, Shadow: I’m just still trying to get myself back into the world of the living,” Reese sighed, his voice still sounding hollow to his ears. “Also, that double-finger defense was a complete joke.” 

Even Dusknoir snorted at the thought that raising two middle fingers at impending doom would somehow cause it to change course. Reese hadn’t expected to, but it had made him feel slightly better. 

Honedge was flipping its body through the air, practicing thrusts and stabs with more vigor than it had before. Reese could feel its frustration at being defeated so easily, even if it had taken a powerful Max attack head on. 

“Honedge, you fought very well,” he said to the Sword Pokemon. “I’m sorry I wasn’t much help to you during the battle.” 

The Pokemon stopped immediately and screeched its protest, saying that it had only done so well because of his instruction. 

“You were incredible to watch, my friend, so don’t be so hard on yourself,” Reese ordered, and the Pokemon nodded. “Good.” 

Shadow barked again, and Reese froze at her words. 

“I don’t really know how to feel about Nessa,” he admitted, his cheek still tingling from where she’d kissed him. “I like her, but...Chairman Rose is probably chewing her out right now because of me. I never should have agreed to this.” 

Shadow made a suggestion that he immediately shut down. 

“No, you are not killing Rose, or anyone for that matter,” Reese glared at his dear friend, but he couldn’t stop himself from smiling. “Thank you, Shadow. What did you think of Galar during your travels?” 

She sniffed and pushed herself back onto the floor, her claws clicking against marble tiles. 

“It’s quaint and quite beautiful in some places?” he could almost picture the places she was describing, from rocky cliffs to a forest filled with glowing mushrooms. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. Did you have much trouble with the locals?” 

Shadow shook her head: Absol weren’t usually seen around Galar, so the stigma of heralds of disaster that normally surrounded them wasn’t present. Good. 

“Hey! You can’t be here!” someone yelled from outside. “Chairman’s orders!” 

“Move!” Nessa’s voice snapped in response, and Reese’s heart did a strange flip in his chest. 

“I can’t let you in. Chairman’s orders,” the first voice repeated, only to be followed by a surge of blasting water and a startled shout. 

The door swung open a moment later and Nessa strode in, the Pokeball in her hand clicking shut as she recalled a Pokemon. Her agitation and anger were splayed across her face, but it all faded the second her eyes met his. 

A relieved but tired smile curved her lips as she strode forward, her golden hoop earrings gleaming in the artificial lights. 

“Reese, how are you feeling?” she even sounded like she was trying to remain calm as she pulled a chair over and sat down next to him, reaching out and clasping his hand with hers. 

The warmth was almost intoxicating, especially with how it sank into his very bones, and she still smelled like sea water. 

“Better, for the most part, but I can still hear those damn spirits,” he admitted, unable to stop a wince as a particularly loud shriek of agony spliced his brain. 

“Can I do anything to help?” Nessa asked, concern replacing the relief in her face. 

She was leaning even closer, almost searching him for answers even as her warm breath washed over his face. 

“I don’t know, to be honest,” Reese forced himself to focus on her sharp blue eyes, found himself staring into the depths of the ocean, itself. “You looked upset when you came in. Did you want to talk about it?” 

Nessa’s expression soured and she leaned back into her chair, freeing up his personal space even as she continued to grip his hand. “Rose essentially stripped me of my Gym Leader privileges for the rest of this year’s Challenge. That means I am just a Challenger with a Water-type focused team until I get to Wyndon for the Semi-finals and Finals.” 

At least she hadn’t been kicked out of the Challenge, entirely, but it didn’t assuage the bitter guilt smoldering within Reese’s chest. 

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, slumping back against his pillow and staring at the blank ceiling. “I never should have entered this damn Challenge.” 

Nessa’s grip on his hand tightened. “Reese, don’t blame yourself.” 

“How can I not?” he asked. “This is my fault, no matter how you look at it. I should have just stayed in Postwick.” 

He could feel her eyes burning into him as her fingers gripped his own. 

“Wouldn’t you be alone?” she asked softly after several moments of silence. 

“I’d have Dusknoir, Dreepy, and Shadow,” but it still wouldn’t be enough, would it? 

Just languishing alone in his misery, locked up like some sort of beast to be discarded and forgotten...without Nessa. 

“Reese...you know, this isn’t all bad,” she mused, some lightness entering her voice. 

“How so?” he looked back up at her to see that she was actually smiling at him. 

“Since I have to follow the entire circuit in order to get to Wyndon, that means we can go through it together,” she hesitated after speaking, her words making his own chest lurch. “Um, if you wanted to, that is! I’m not trying to force you into it!” 

Shadow huffed in amusement, almost radiating smug energy as she looked between the two humans. 

“Are you sure you’d want to do that?” Reese asked. “You already know how dangerous it is to be around me, especially since my curse seems to like your soul.” 

Nessa didn’t even hesitate. “Yes, I’m sure, Reese. I would love to go with you if you’d like me to.” 

“You are far too kind for your own good,” Reese shook his head as he met her gaze, staring into the depths once again. “I...would truly enjoy traveling with you.” 

Her face lit up with an embarrassed smile that sent warmth rippling through his veins. “It’s settled, then. I’ll go pack some provisions and whatnot for the journey. Did Nurse Joy tell you how long she was going to keep you here?” 

“Only until I was able to walk on my own,” Reese answered. “Although I could really leave whenever I felt like it.” 

The thought of traveling with her was intoxicating, sending warmth buzzing through his body and mind. There was some cold fear and concern, but it was easily chased away. 

Nessa grinned at him and squeezed his hand again. “I’ll see you soon. Don’t go anywhere, alright?” 

“Yeah, sure,” Reese snorted, which made his chest pulse with agony. “See you.” 

Nessa let go of his hand and hesitated before turning around and walking away. She stopped at the door and glanced back at Reese, a mischievous smile curling her lips as she lifted her hand, kissed her fingers and then waved them at him before vanishing through the doorway. 

Shadow barked, her comment making Reese stifle a laugh. 

“Yeah, Shadow, I like her too.” 

Dusknoir grunted in agreement. 

“I’ll be back in a while,” he heard Nessa saying to someone outside the door. 

“Fine...just...just don’t sic your Drednaw on me again,” a weary voice sighed in answer. “I thought I was going to die.” 

“I wouldn’t have let you die, don’t worry,” Nessa laughed before footsteps strode away. 

Silence followed, leaving Reese alone with the thoughts rampaging alongside the moans, shrieks, and wails of the spirits inside of the keystone. 

“That could have been worse,” he finally mused, at which Shadow nodded in agreement. 

After centuries, he’d managed to find someone who actually wanted to be around him, someone who didn’t care about his curse or the pain that it brought. It felt...wonderful, to say the least. 

“Nessa...” 


	10. A Cave and a Proposal (What Could Possibly Go Wrong?)

Nessa exhaled slowly as she continued packing her travel bag with clothes and some preserved food, trying to calm herself as the desire to punch Rose in his well-groomed, smirking face raged in her. Reese was waiting for her, so she had something to look forward to after all of this was done, at least. 

“I’m so sorry Rose did this to you, dear,” her mother, supportive as she’d always been, had helped Nessa pack the essentials, including her sleeping bag for outdoor camping. “Are you feeling alright?” 

“I’m still angry, but a bit relieved at the same time,” Nessa admitted, knowing better than to try to hide her feelings from her mother. The woman had a knack for finding out no matter how well Nessa disguised her emotions. “I’ll be going through the main circuit with Reese, so I have that to look forward to.” 

Her mother smiled warmly, deepening the crow’s feet around her twinkling eyes. “You really like him, don’t you? He seems to be a good lad.” 

Nessa didn’t stop herself from nodding, not as her heart flipped in her chest and her face warmed. “I do. I don’t know why, but I just feel...drawn to him. And whenever I see him, all my anger and frustrations just vanish to the point where all I can focus on is him.” 

“Your heart has always been gifted in choosing those you have around you,” her mother laughed as Nessa folded up her League uniform and tucked it in with the rest of her clothes. “Well, if he doesn’t make a move, you should!” 

No point in wandering around in the uniform: her favorite blue shirt and black jacket ensemble would more than suffice for this trip. Well, that and the hat that had survived a horde of Diggersby and Bunnelby. The one that Dusknoir had brought back for her at Reese’s request. 

“Do you really think I should?” she asked softly, at which her mother nodded. 

“You like him, he likes you...why shouldn’t you give it a try?” 

“That should be everything,” she declared, hefting the black and blue travel bag and slinging the straps over her shoulders. “And...I’ll try.” 

The weight settled comfortably against her back, and Nessa turned to face her smiling mother. 

“What?” 

“Oh, I’m just being reminded yet again how much my little girl has grown,” her mother shook her head, but pride was emanating from each word. “I look forward to seeing how you perform in the Semi-finals, dear.” 

Nessa strode forward and kissed the older woman on the cheek, then dashed out the front door into a chilly Hullbury evening. The sinking sun set the sea ablaze in a plethora of fiery hues as a dark shroud began to extend its reach over the skies, bringing chilled winds that the residents would fight off with the warmth of their hearths and their Pokemon. 

It was an idyllic day by the sea, or it would have been if it hadn’t been broken by shouting coming from the Pokemon Center. 

_Reese_. 

Nessa almost ran down the cobbled streets, her sneakers clicking against stone worn almost smooth by the incessant battering of the salty winds while her bag bounced against her shoulder blades and spine without cease. 

“I don’t know why the Chairman insists on letting you compete, freak!” a haughty voice that immediately inflated Nessa’s annoyance jeered. “Your curse is a danger to everyone around you and you aren’t even a skilled Trainer!” 

“Yet I was able to wipe the floor with your team back in the mine,” came Reese’s cold reply. “With one Pokemon.” 

“I let you win!” the Challenger named Bede snarled. “Where would be the fun in destroying one measly Dreepy so easily?” 

Dreepy squealed in outrage at that, followed by a low, rumbling snarl that Nessa surmised had come from Shadow. 

Bede yelped. “Keep your red beast at bay!” 

“I don’t know: Shadow tends to do her own thing regardless of what I ask of her,” Reese drawled. 

“Hey! Knock it off, Bede!” another girl’s voice cut in while Nessa rounded one of the red and blue Pokemon Center’s corners. “There’s no need to be so ornery! We’re all jus’ tryin’ to compete!” 

Bede and a couple other Trainers were standing in front of the doors, where an exhausted-looking Reese was standing beside Shadow and Dusknoir while Dreepy bristled from atop his head. The punk-dressed Challenger from Spikemuth was next to Reese, her Morpeko sitting on her shoulder. Electricity was crackling around the small hamster, and Nessa momentarily feared for Marnie’s safety with all the metal she was wearing. 

“Marnie, you don’t have to interfere,” Reese spoke up. “But, thank you.” 

Nessa strode forward, drawing attention from both groups as she joined Reese. “What’s the trouble here?” 

“Oh, joy, another one of the Chairman’s disappointments,” Bede sneered, which made a hot bloom of anger flare in Nessa. “Come to try to kill someone else with your Dynamax Pokemon?” 

“Shadow, shred that stupid pink marshmallow jacket of his,” Reese ordered immediately. 

Bede yelped and scrambled back as the infuriated red Absol lunged at him, claws outstretched. 

“Stop!” Nessa snapped, and Shadow froze inches away from her prey. “Bede, you’re a skilled Trainer but you desperately need an attitude check. I don’t know what you’re trying to prove or to who, but that doesn’t give you the right to behave like a child.” 

“More like an ass,” Marnie grumbled, at which Nessa fought to keep her laugh contained. “Even I’m wantin’ to hit him.” 

“Marnie’s feeling bloodthirsty? You have quite a talent for pissing others off, Pink Marshmallow.” Reese grunted. 

Even the two Trainers who stood by Bede snickered at that, making him glare at them. 

“What? We just wanted to let this cursed guy know that we’re not going to tolerate him getting other people hurt,” one of them shrugged, turning a glare at Reese. 

“I don’t do it by choice,” Reese growled. “And do you think I enjoy being attacked by everything that isn’t a Ghost or Dark type?” 

“Nessa, why aren’t you on our side?” the other Trainer asked. “You got attacked because of him and he made your Drednaw go out of control!” 

Nessa folded her arms and glanced over at Reese, giving him a reassuring smile even as she frowned internally at the pain gleaming in his eyes. “Because I know he isn’t trying to hurt people. Reese has been moving from region to region, isolating himself everywhere he goes to avoid that very situation.” 

“I offered to leave the Challenge, but the Chairman refused,” Reese gave her a grateful nod, those strange green eyes shimmering with unusual light for just a moment. “He told me to keep competing.” 

“Indeed he did,” Nessa agreed, which made the Trainers glance at one another. 

Bede faltered. “He did? But...he wouldn’t allow such a dangerous person to continue...” 

“Maybe we should trust the Chairman’s judgement?” one of the Trainers mused. 

“See? It’s goin’ to be fine!” Marnie butted in. “Chairman Rose knows what he’s doin’!” 

Nessa fought to keep down the bitter rage that simmered within her at Marnie’s praise for that scheming weasel. 

“Bah!” Bede spun on his heels and stormed away with a huff. 

“I’m sorry for the trouble,” one of the nameless Trainers said to Nessa, pausing when he saw her travel bag. “Wait, are you going to travel with this guy?” 

Nessa nodded firmly. 

“Well, I hope you stay safe,” the other Trainer murmured. “Take care.” 

“I know you’re worried, and that you’re scared that I will get someone you care about hurt,” Reese stepped forward, almost brushing against Nessa’s side. “But if a Pokemon is rampaging because of me, I will gladly take its attacks if it means getting it away from other people. I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of me.” 

The two Trainers glanced at one another and then hurried away towards Hullbury’s hotel, where numerous other Challengers were settling in for the coming night. 

“How did they even hear about your curse?” Nessa asked once the duo was gone. “The stands were evacuating when we were talking to Rose.” 

“Oh, I’m sure every word we said was being broadcast to everyone in Hullbury,” Reese shrugged, his shoulders sagging as if a Cufant had perched itself upon him. “And I’m used to this kind of behavior. Usually, there’s someone screaming at me about being a walking catastrophe and how they should have thrown me out of town the moment they saw that I had an Absol.” 

“Aw, geez,” Marnie murmured. “That’s just unnecessary! You’re a good person.” 

Reese gave the girl a weary smile. “Thanks, Marnie. I appreciate your kind words.” 

Nessa scowled as a possessive flare made her want to reach out and grab Reese’s hand, but the warmer and more genuine smile he gave her next made that feeling evaporate. 

“So, are you goin’ to stay in the hotel for tonight?” Marnie asked. 

Reese shook his head. “No. The Pokemon in the Center were starting to get agitated by my presence, and I doubt the other Trainers will feel safe with me as their neighbor, so I’ll be setting up camp outside the city for now.” 

“Then I’m going with you,” Nessa declared. “If we’re going to follow the circuit, we’ll need to go to the mine between here and Motostoke. Both old man Kabu and I use it for training, so I know a few good spots to stay the night in.” 

Reese shrugged. “A mine? I’ve slept in worse, so fine by me.” 

Worse? How much worse, exactly? 

“Well, uh, okay,” Marnie shook her head slowly as if trying to convince herself she wasn’t going insane. “I’ll see you guys in Motostoke, then.” 

“I look forward to it, Marnie,” Reese nodded, holding his hand out to her. 

The girl took it without hesitation, and the two shook before Marnie let go and walked away. She paused a few feet away and waved, her Morpeko doing the same, then continued her trek. 

Nessa lowered the arm she had been waving with as well and turned to Reese. “How are you feeling? You look exhausted.” 

“Exactly so, but I can walk and Nurse Joy was having a hard time keeping her patients under control,” Reese shrugged. “Didn’t have a choice unless I wanted the Pokemon Center to be ripped apart from the inside out.” 

“Well, I’ll find us a spot where we should be safe from the wild Pokemon,” Nessa promised as she nodded towards the road. “Shall we?” 

Reese nodded. “Let’s.” 

He fell into step at her side, their shoes hitting the ground in almost perfect harmony as Shadow padded along next to her partner and Dusknoir levitated after them in silence. 

“You really aren’t afraid of me?” Reese asked, his voice almost lost to the twilight. 

Nessa turned to him, her eyes meeting his luminous green irises. She could almost see something else within those emerald depths, turning his pupils into an uneven black swirl. 

“No, of course not,” she answered him. “I’ve already established that, right? I’m not afraid of you; if anything, I like you. A lot.” 

Heat blasted her face despite the cold air at her declaration, and she could see Reese’s cheeks coloring further as well. 

“Sol. Absol,” Shadow chortled, her claws clicking against stone with each step. 

“Shut up, Shadow,” Reese muttered, but the demand was halfhearted and not quite threatening. 

“Py!” Dreepy chimed in with a happy squeak, which made Reese chuckle. 

“I know, I know,” the young man shook his head carefully so as to not dislodge his passenger before giving Nessa an embarrassed smile. “I like Nessa, too.” 

If her face hadn’t been on fire earlier, it certainly was now. 

Dusknoir groaned behind them, then muttered something that made Reese glare at it and then proceed to almost run into the metal pole of a street lamp. 

Nessa, on the other hand, was wrestling with her mother’s encouragement that she make a move if Reese didn’t, because it certainly appeared that Reese was hesitant to act on their apparently obvious affections for one another. 

They walked in silence through the town, with Nessa glancing at the young man at her side a few times until they approached the open maw of the entrance to the mine caverns linking Hullbury and Motostoke. 

He seemed so tired and world-weary, his eyes flickering with images that Nessa couldn’t even begin to understand. It was like looking into a mirror, but instead of seeing her own reflection, Nessa could see the shadows of faces that she couldn’t recognize, their mouths wide open in silent screams and groans before they twisted into nothingness and Reese’s eyes returned to normal. 

Nessa blinked: was she just seeing things? 

“You’re staring,” Reese said. “Do I have something on my face?” 

Nessa coughed. “Oh! Sorry! I was just thinking.” 

Reese nodded, then reached out and squeezed Nessa’s hand. “Anything bothering you? You seem troubled.” 

“Not really,” Nessa faltered as the warmth from his hand sank into her own, coaxing her to trust him, to let him help carry some of whatever was burdening her. “Well...I am still upset at Rose, if I’m being honest.” 

It was the truth: whenever that scheming bastard’s forked words slithered through her mind, she had to fight to control the hot anger and frustration that bloomed within her. It took a particularly Machoke-level effort to restrain herself from regressing to ripping her hair out again like she did when she was younger. 

“I don’t blame you, since he was quite harsh with you, but I am glad that he didn’t just kick you out of the Challenge entirely,” Reese murmured. “Especially since-” 

Nessa pulled on his hand and made him stumble towards her, slamming them together hard enough to make her wince. “Ow! Don’t even begin trying to blame yourself again, got it?” 

“Yes, ma’am,” Reese drawled as he pushed away from her to get his elbow out of her ribs. “Where to now?” 

Nessa tore her gaze from him, with titanic difficulty, and stared into the yawning cave mouth punching through the mountains. Musty air cruised out from within like the rasping breath of a vast, fetid creature, stinking of coal, iron, and oil. 

“With me,” she said, breaking into a rapid stride and dragging Reese behind her by his hand. 

They entered the cool, musty throat of the mountain and let the fiery skies be swallowed up by dark stone walls and glowing electronic lanterns swaying on webs of electrical lines. Stalactites and stalagmites jutted out in earthen spears all around them, and Nessa could hear the gurgling of one of the mine’s many springs from alongside the dripping of condensation from the ceiling. 

“This is a nice cave,” Reese commented. “Sounds like there’s a lot of water in these caverns.” 

“There is,” Nessa confirmed. “The minerals in the springs keep the water clean along with the Water types who live in it. There are several Fire types, Rock types and Steel types that frequent the area, so it’s a pretty good spot for me to train.” 

“Huh, neat,” Reese mused. 

Nessa snorted and tugged him forward, her feet trodding down the path she’d taken hundreds of times before. She could feel the eyes of Pokemon in the deep shadows of the caves watching them everywhere they went, her mind wandering back to her mother’s urging when Reese abruptly halted behind her. Their intertwined hands nearly made her jerk backwards, her head swiveling back to Reese in surprise even as her wrist ached in protest of the sudden stop. 

“What?” she asked. 

His eyes were riveted onto the ground, narrowed with suspicion. “What the fuck is that?” 

Nessa followed his stare and saw a half-submerged Pokeball sticking out of a patch of mud, recognition and alarm fighting inside of her as she lowered her gaze to her feet. 

There! 

The tiny, barely discernable tip of an iron tooth jutted out just inches away from her left foot. Shadow pawed at the dirt, growling at the creature that was submerged just beneath it. 

“Stunfisk,” Nessa realized. “Step back, slowly.” 

“Stunfisk? What does a Pokeball have to do with Stunfisk?” Reese asked, but he stepped back next to Nessa while his grip tightened on hers. 

“Galar has a different breed of Stunfisk than to the rest of the world,” Nessa remembered Sonia gushing about different forms of Pokemon present in Galar and in Alola a while ago. “Galarian Stunfisk resemble steel traps, and use their Pokeball-shaped mouths like lures to draw in their prey.” 

“I take it you were about to step on one?” Reese frowned at the trap laying before their feet. “Yeah, I can see some teeth sticking out now that you described what the thing was.” 

“I forgot that this cave is a favorite habitat of theirs,” Nessa sighed, shaking her head at how she’d once again nearly lost her foot to a damn Stunfisk. 

“You said it’s a Steel type?” Reese asked, at which she nodded. “Alright, do you see a way we can go around it?” 

The path they were following was narrow, and this accursed Stunfisk had laid its trap perfectly, filling in the entire width of the cavern floor. 

“No: it’s covering the entire path,” Nessa shook her head. “It’ll snap if we try to jump over it.” 

“I see. Shadow: Flamethrower,” Reese ordered. 

Wait, Shadow knows Flamethrower? 

A gout of red-hot flames expelled from Shadow’s open mouth, smashing into the Stunfisk’s trap and making the Pokemon shriek with agony. Stunfisk burst into the air in an explosion of dirt and metal, its trap-like body wreathed in flames. 

The Pokemon hauled itself away as Shadow sent another stream of flames over it, its body clanging repeatedly against stone in its scrambling retreat. 

“Problem solved,” Reese said, patting Shadow’s head and rubbing the base of her horn. 

Shadow murmured happily and leaned into the touch, pressing her lupine body against his leg. 

It was ruthless and perhaps a little cruel, but Galarian Stunfisk were notorious for nearly ripping people’s legs off if someone accidentally stepped on them. They were dangerous, yet Nessa couldn’t help but feel guilty about having Shadow set this one ablaze. 

“Should we be concerned about that Stunfisk coming back with friends?” she asked. 

Reese shook his head. “Dusknoir will patrol, like it always does. It doesn’t need to sleep, so it can keep watch all night.” 

“Do you mind?” Nessa asked the bulky Ghost, which shook its head. “Thank you.” 

“So, the way is clear,” Reese pointed out, and Nessa became aware that they were still holding hands. 

It made her head buzz in a very pleasant manner. 

“Right, the way’s clear,” Nessa repeated, somehow managing to keep her voice steady as she realized her error and resisted the urge to smack her forehead. “Come on.” 

She pulled Reese after her as they moved through a narrow corridor that she knew like the back of the hand that he gripped in his own. 

Through the second turn on the left, watch the dip in the floor. Duck beneath the stone arch that she’d painted with a blue Water type insignia. 

“Ow!” Reese winced behind her, followed by Dreepy’s squeak. 

“Watch your head,” Nessa hurriedly warned, hearing him chuckle behind her. 

“Little late, but thanks,” he responded. “Nice touch with the blue paint.” 

“Thanks. It’s not far from here,” her face warmed with embarrassment as she kept leading him forward, until the narrow confines abruptly opened into a much wider chamber. 

It was a spherical chamber about roughly twenty feet wide, half of the space being dominated by a gorgeous misshapen spring. A hole in almost the exact same shape as the spring let in a few rays of dying light from the ceiling. A few natural pillars of rock connected the floor to the ceiling, but there was ample room for something large to move between them. 

“What do you think?” Nessa gestured at a smooth bed of rock off to the side. “It’s a nice little private spot, so we shouldn’t be bothered by anything.” 

She looked back at Reese to see him staring at the chamber, his mouth a tight line as his grip on her hand tightened. 

“Reese?” his expression was haunted, his gaze distant as if he were seeing something she couldn’t. “Reese?!” 

He blinked, the fog in his green eyes fading. “What? Where?” 

The vice of his grip relaxed, but his skin was clammy. She had to resist the urge to reach out and turn his face towards her, if only to reassure him that he was okay. 

“It’s okay: you’re here with me,” Nessa said, keeping her voice as gentle as she could. “What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing, just a bad memory,” Reese shook his head, not even flinching when Dusknoir placed a large hand on his shoulder. 

There was something else, something that he wasn’t telling her, but Nessa didn’t want Shadow to attack her for asking Reese to reveal something so deeply personal to him. 

“I think this used to be an Onix’s nest or something of the sort,” Nessa instead turned her attention back to the chamber. “That spring is actually water that collected from rain over the years from that hole, and it took me a while to sanitize it enough to where I could actually swim in it without risking my health.” 

“So that’s another hole?” Reese murmured as he gazed into the spring. “How deep does it go?” 

“About, uh, a hundred feet or so?” Nessa frowned, trying to recall how deep down the hole had gone the last time she’d measured it. “It goes down pretty far.” 

“Normal depth for an Onix tunnel,” Reese shrugged. “Probably hit some rock it couldn’t dig through and decided these tunnels weren’t a good spot for home.” 

Nessa strode over to the smooth rock bed, tugging Reese after her as she went. He followed without complaint, and the duo sat next to each other on the cold stone. 

“It definitely slept here,” he remarked, running his fingers over the stone. “Must not have been too big.” 

“Probably. I never saw the Onix that made the tunnel,” Nessa shrugged, reluctantly letting go of his hand to slide her backpack off. She slung it next to her feet and looked over to see Reese doing the same with his own bag. 

Shadow curled up on another stone slab off to the side, her content grumble filling the cavern before it petered off. Dusknoir hovered by the entrance, its eye boring into Reese and the Dreepy that was still curled on his head. 

“If he’s not going to make a move, you should!” Nessa’s mother’s words echoed through her mind yet again, and she inhaled slowly despite how her heart was hammering in her chest. 

Fuck it. 

“Hey, um, Reese?” she croaked out, silently cursing her hesitation. 

“Yeah?” 

Nessa steeled herself and looked at the young man beside her. “We need to talk.” 

Ah, yes, those dreaded four words. The death knell of many relationships that caused anxiety to spike up in both parties no matter who was saying it. Nessa had said them before, to past relationships, and vice versa, but they always made her heart rate spike. 

“Of course,” Reese nodded, his calm expression easing some of her worries. “What is it?” 

“We keep saying that we like each other, yes?” she asked, at which he slowly nodded. “Well, it’s only logical that we take the next step, isn’t it?” 

Reese hesitated. 

Nessa forged on, regardless. “I mean, I understand that you’re afraid of what could happen because of your curse, but I want you to know that I believe it’s going to be okay.” 

“Nessa...” his voice was so soft she almost couldn’t hear it. 

“So, what do you say?” Nessa’s voice almost reduced itself to a croak again as she held her hand out to him. “Do you want to date me?” 

For a moment, the only thing she could hear was her hammering heart and thundering pulse, adrenaline coursing through her veins as she stared at Reese. 

He swallowed, and Nessa could see him wrestling with his fear and his concern that he would hurt her. 

“Nessa, I... I’ve always been a danger to everyone around me, and it’s been a very long time since I’ve even entertained the thought of pursuing a... romantic relationship,” he murmured. “I like you, a lot, but... I don’t want to hurt you.” 

“We’ll make it work,” Nessa promised. “Trust me.” 

“I do trust you,” Reese answered immediately. “It’s just... I can’t. I shouldn’t.” 

Her heart skipped a beat, but she remained optimistic. “Why not? You like me and I like you, so why shouldn’t we?” 

He was afraid: she could see that plainly in his eyes, but there was something else, some deep sadness in his eyes that made her very soul seem to resonate with a sense of profound loss. 

Nessa placed her hands on her knees as she shuffled closer. “We can take it as slow as you want, okay? I know you’re scared you’ll hurt me and you don’t really know what to do, but we’ll find a way to make it work.” 

The silence was stagnating, at least until Dusknoir cruised over and nudged Reese, nodding enthusiastically while making a ‘go on’ gesture with its large hands. 

“Dusknoir, you should know better than anyone else why I shouldn’t!” Reese hissed at it. 

“You don’t have to decide right at this moment if you’re really conflicted about it,” Nessa said gently, her heart slowing down enough to where she could actually hear something aside from her pulse. 

She’d expected some hesitation, perhaps even this type of reaction, and she certainly wasn’t going to push him into it if he wasn’t ready. It made her heart ache a bit, yes, but he hadn’t outright rejected her proposal. 

Dusknoir rolled its eye and then pushed Reese forward, right into Nessa. She yelped at the impact that followed, bowling her painfully onto her back while Reese’s hands slammed into the stone on either side of her body. Needles of pain rippled through her nerves, but Nessa blinked through it enough to realize that she’d somehow gotten her arms around Reese’s neck after the impact, 

His face was inches away from hers, making plain the annoyance on his face even as their breath intermingled. 

Hullo, increased heart rate, so good to have you pounding in my chest again. 

“Dusknoir, I would kill you, but you’re already dead,” Reese growled. 

They carefully extricated themselves from this predicament, despite the small part of Nessa that relished this close contact with him, and she studied him closely as he stretched his aching arms in an attempt to ease the pain. 

“I’m sorry Dusknoir decided to be an ass,” Reese said to her, his eyes shifting to glance at her. “Are you okay?” 

“I’m fine,” Nessa nodded, ignoring the slight electrical pain going through her back. “I kind of enjoyed that, not going to lie.” 

He actually grinned at her. “Same here, aside from the pain in my hands. Listen, uh, I’ll give some thought to your, um, question. I’m not saying ‘no’, but...” 

“No pressure,” Nessa said, offering him a smile. 

Reese glanced at Dusknoir, who nodded encouragement. “Well, are you hungry at all? I have some Berries in my pack.” 

“I think I’m good for now, but thanks,” Nessa shook her head, then reached into her pack to find her folded-up bedroll. 

Wait, had she even packed a bedroll or sleeping bag? 

She rummaged through her clothes, food, and other necessities, horror and panic cruising through her mind at the absence of what it was she’d sought. 

“Everything okay?” Reese asked, tugging a bunched-up shirt out of his own bag and placing it on the rock behind him, clearly intending to use it as a pillow. 

Nessa swallowed her embarrassment and glanced at him, the concern in his eyes melting whatever defenses she could have erected. “I, um, forgot my sleeping bag.” 

Wait a minute: hadn’t her mom packed it earlier? Before she’d left for the Pokemon Center? Nessa narrowed her eyes as the realization struck her that her mother actually hadn’t packed the sleeping bag because of a sinister ulterior motive. 

“I think I have some extra clothes you can use for padding if you’re uncomfortable on the stone,” Reese offered, shrugging off his faded jacket and offering it to her. “Take this, too.” 

“Really?” Nessa took the well-worn fabric into her hands, gingerly brushing her fingers over the still-warm jacket. 

It even smelled faintly like Reese. 

“You’re going to be cold, otherwise,” Reese nodded, offering a smile before digging into his bag again to bring out some folded clothes. “That jacket of yours doesn’t look too thick.” 

He set them out behind Nessa in a crude imitation of a bedroll, making sure it was as thick as he could make it. 

“Thank you, Reese,” Nessa flushed, feeling her lips curve into a smile of their own. “I’m sorry to impose on you like this.” 

Reese waved a dismissive hand. “You’re not an imposition. I’m glad to be able to do something for you.” 

A cold breeze went up her spine, her vision flickering with the brief image of a dark shadow that swirled like a whirlpool, and Nessa almost jumped as Dreepy dove into Reese’s bag with a happy squeal, shaking it until the little Pokemon emerged with an Oran Berry in its mouth. 

Reese chuckled and rose, groaning as he stretched his muscles. “I’m going to take a short walk around. Do some thinking.” 

Nessa reached out and clasped his hand in hers. “Be careful and come back soon.” 

He nodded, squeezing her hand before letting go and striding out the chamber’s entrance. 

Dusknoir floated by, placing a cold and heavy hand on Nessa’s shoulder while rumbling what she wanted to think of as encouragement. 

_He’ll come_ _around;_ _you’ll see. He’s just afraid of hurting someone important to him._

“I know he is,” Nessa murmured. “Do you think I was...too hasty in asking?” 

Dusknoir shook its head, then gestured first at her before nodding towards the makeshift bedding that Reese had given her. 

_He cares about you. I think being with you would be good for him._

Nessa smiled at the Ghost. “You think so?” 

It nodded, then cruised away. Shadow barked from her side of the chamber and then curled into an Absol ball, closing her eyes with a huff. 

“Thanks for your contribution, Shadow,” Nessa told her, at which she responded with a grunt. 

Well, nothing left to do but wait for Reese to come back, maybe see if she could make some food for the both of them. 

“I made the first move, Mom,” Nessa murmured, silently cursing the woman for her sleeping bag deception even if said deception was making her even closer to Reese. “I guess the rest is up to Reese.” 


	11. A Legend Remembered

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the text conversations, I tried to space out Nessa's replies, but AO3's formatting is making it difficult for me to separate the two sides, so I just added a * before and after Sonia's parts of the conversations.   
> Also, I have never had long hair before, so feel free to flame me on how I tried to describe Nessa struggling with wet hair.

Reese awoke to a soft warmth pressing into his back from where he lay on his right side upon cold stone. 

“Shadow?” he thought, then saw the red Absol laying across the pool from him, her body rising and falling with each breath she took. 

Dreepy was curled up on her back, making small chirps every now and then as it dreamed. 

He glanced up at the opening in the ceiling and saw a dark shroud with some stars scattered upon it, but there was a hint of pinkish light starting to breach the darkness. 

“Not long before dawn,” Reese murmured, craning his neck to see the only other suspect who could be at his back. 

Nessa was wrapped in his jacket like it was a blanket, her face peaceful and free of everything that had been plaguing her ever since Reese had entered her life. 

“Hmm,” she hummed softly in her sleep, a small smile forming on her lips as she pulled the jacket even tighter around her. 

She looked so happy and...beautiful. 

His chest tightened with guilt and something else that wasn’t quite so unpleasant as he found himself staring at the young woman despite the strain it was putting on his neck. 

_“Why do you hesitate?”_ Dusknoir asked from where it was hovering off to the side. _“Your life deserves to be more than pain and loneliness.”_

Reese tore his gaze away from Nessa before he broke his neck or put a permanent crick in it. “You know why.” 

She would grow older and chase down whatever future awaited her. Reese wouldn’t. 

So long as these souls fed his own life force, he would remain this way until something managed to break the Key Stone or his body finally couldn’t handle the strain of hosting another hundred and eight souls. 

Spiritomb stirred inside of him, its sleepy thoughts making a wistful smile form on his lips against his will. It was dreaming of all the beautiful places it had seen with him: vast plains filled with trees and swaying grasses; glittering oceans reflecting the skies as they stretched from horizon to horizon; craggy mountains that rose high above the lands around them, with air so crisp and chilled that inhaling it had felt like being injected with pure energy; and seas of sand and rock that threatened to swallow up everything that entered its shifting grasp. 

There was so much beauty in this wide, sprawling world, and yet Reese was only able to see it because of the dark seed of human ambition that had bloomed within him against his will, twisting his very soul into something it never should have become. 

The irony wasn’t lost on him, especially since he was reminded of how much cruelty existed in this selfsame beautiful world every single day. Those reminders had been gouged into his flesh with claws, fangs, and every element that could be conjured up and thrown his way, along with the Key Stone that would forever remain a part of his very body and soul. 

“Noir. Dusknoir,” the voice of his constant companion cut through his thoughts, but it took Reese a moment to translate the words. 

“I know I didn’t say yes or no to her,” he muttered, keeping his voice low in an attempt to not awaken the woman at his back. “You know this isn’t right.” 

“Noir,” the ancient Ghost reminded him as he turned his head to gaze upon the sleeping Nessa yet again. 

“Memories, that’s all,” he murmured, allowing the way his chest warmed with a pleasant fuzziness to chase away the fog of the past that lingered around him ever since he’d entered this accursed cave. 

It was...just too similar. The moment he’d stepped foot in this cave, hand-in-hand with Nessa, the chamber under Mount Coronet had appeared around him, along with the ominous chanting of the ones who’d doomed him. 

“Sol. Sol, Absol,” Shadow added in her own five Pokecents from across the room, her suggestion making Reese’s cheeks flush as he swiveled his head to glare at the Absol. 

“I am not doing that!” he hissed at her. 

“Doing what?” Nessa’s voice made him jolt. “I appreciate that you’re trying to be quiet, but I am sitting right next to you.” 

Reese felt her shifting against his back, the warmth fading as Nessa shuffled away from him. He rolled onto his back and sat up, turning his head to see Nessa doing the same thing. 

She was rubbing her eyes with her thumb and forefinger, oblivious to how her unkempt hair bristled around her head in a rough likeness of a Sandslash. Reese’s jacket was still draped around her, but she’d slipped her arms into the sleeves so she could actually move around. 

“Sorry for waking you,” Reese said sheepishly, taking a moment to marvel at how her eyes gleamed as she turned her attention to him. 

Nessa shrugged. “It’s fine, Reese. I wasn’t sleeping well, anyway.” 

Concern flitted through him as he glanced down at the makeshift padding of clothes. “I knew it wasn’t going to be comfortable, but...” 

“Oh, no, that’s not it,” Nessa laughed, then reached up with her hand to stifle a yawn before blinking more sleep out of her eyes. “I...just kept remembering something unpleasant that kept me awake.” 

Her hesitation and the faint anger Reese could see in her eyes made him frown. Was her confrontation with Rose still bothering her that much? 

“Nessa, do you want to talk about what Rose said to you?” he asked, choosing his words as carefully as he could while the girl immediately raised her mental defenses. “I want to help, however I can.” 

Nessa sighed and curled up to hug her knees to her chest, forming a Nessa ball as Reese’s jacket splayed out around her. “Reese, I...I’ve worked so hard to accomplish the dreams I have held for so long, and now I’m seeing that I may have bitten off more than I can chew.” 

“You’ve pushed yourself hard to get to where you are today,” Reese murmured, reaching over and placing his hand on her shoulder. “I’ve seen some of your photos, and you’re absolutely stunning, while your skill as a Gym Leader is without question.” 

Nessa flushed and gave him an embarrassed smile, but pride was shining in her eyes. “Thank you, Reese. Do you have any dreams that you’re working towards? Any goals?” 

“The only goal I’ve ever had for the longest time was to live in a place where I didn’t have to be afraid of my curse,” Reese shrugged, gazing down at his hands. “Where I could finally stop moving from region to region and just settle down, alone.” 

He could feel Nessa staring at him and got the feeling she was carefully choosing her next words, perhaps wishing to say something impactful and wise. 

“Stay with me,” she blurted, then swore and buried her face into her knees. “Gah! Why did I say that?!” 

Reese couldn’t stop himself from laughing while the young woman groaned into her legs. “You’re just too adorable sometimes, Nessa.” 

She grumbled something he couldn’t make out. 

Reese sat next to her and nudged her shoulder with his own. “I can’t tell if you’re talking to me or your legs, Ness.” 

“You’re lucky I like you,” she lifted her head a bit so her words were actually audible. “Otherwise I would have Drednaw blast you with a Hydro Pump.” 

Reese nodded. “It would probably do so without you telling it to.” 

With a weary sigh, the Nessa-ball leaned into Reese’s side, her head coming to rest on his shoulder. “I know. And...as for Rose’s words, I...” 

He reached over without even meaning to, slipping his hand into hers and allowing their warmth to mingle. “You’ll prove him wrong. You’re an amazing person, Nessa, both as a model and as a Gym Leader. You’ve just had a bad week ever since I butted in, that’s all.” 

“I may have had a bad week regardless of whether or not I met you, so don’t say dumb shit,” Nessa retorted, squeezing his hand. “Also, this is your cue to lean your head on mine. Do it.” 

Was it? 

“Do. It.” 

“Um, okay,” Reese did as she ordered and leaned his cheek against the top of her head, ignoring how the spidery strands of her hair tickled his skin. 

She was warm and not at all unpleasant to be in this position with, especially with her hand in his. 

“There. That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Nessa laughed, the tremors of her movement pushing her head against Reese’s. 

“You feel nice,” he murmured, a peace he’d never felt before rippling through his body. 

“If someone else said that to me, I’d probably punch them,” she laughed again. “You have no idea how many creeps have said that after just brushing up against my arm or something.” 

Reese filed that information away for later. “My bad. I take it you can have some rather, uh, rabid fans?” 

“Rabid doesn’t even begin to cover what I’ve had to deal with,” Nessa sighed, pressing herself even closer to him. “People have stalked me, showed up at my shoots or matches with me painted on them somewhere, and have harassed me nonstop in a bid to get me to date them or...otherwise.” 

Reese squeezed her hand. “I’m sorry you’ve had to deal with that.” 

“It comes with fame, unfortunately,” Nessa sighed again. “But at least I have a person who genuinely likes me here, instead of someone who just sees the model or Gym Leader.” 

Reese nodded against her head, wondering just what else he could do now. 

They remained in silence, just huddled together while Reese allowed himself this rare moment of peace and enjoying the presence of the young woman at his side. 

He’d seen countless couples over the course of these five and a half centuries, had wondered ceaselessly what they’d felt that had made them so close to one another. Perhaps this was it? This warm joy? 

“As much as I hate to say it, we need to get ready to get to Motostoke,” Nessa mumbled, squeezing his hand again. “And I’m certain my hair looks horrible.” 

“I think you look beautiful,” Reese said, silently cursing his rebellious tongue. 

Damn you, you besotted fool! You shouldn’t be doing this! 

Nessa stirred under him, Reese lifting off of her as she turned her head. 

“You’re too sweet, you know,” her lips pressed against his cheek, making heat surge through his face. “Alright, I’m going to have to ask you to leave so I can get some privacy. I like you and all, but I’m not quite ready to bathe together in the pool yet.” 

Bathing together? 

Reese coughed and nodded as they separated. “T-that’s fine with me. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.” 

Nessa winked at him, reaching out and brushing her fingers against his cheek. “Maybe one day, though.” 

Perhaps, just as long as Reese could wear some kind of wet suit that would keep his Key Stone-ravaged chest hidden. 

“I’ll get something made for breakfast,” Reese said, trying not to grimace as Spiritomb groaned inside of him. 

He had some Berries and granola along with others in his bag, right? Maybe Dusknoir could help. Shadow strode after him as they left the chamber, Dreepy still riding on her back. Honedge buzzed in its Pokeball, reminding Reese that it still existed. 

He pulled the ball out and pushed the button on it, letting the ghostly sword free. 

“Let’s wander around a bit, eh?” 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Nessa burst from the pool in a spray of icy cold water, filling her lungs with sweet, sweet air while she crawled onto the cold stone floor of the cavern. Her wet hair stuck uncomfortably to her body and over her eyes while she shuffled over to the towel in her bag, her body shuddering as the surrounding air sapped any lingering warmth she had left. 

Once again, she quickly scanned the chamber to ensure that she was alone, and again she was marginally disappointed that Reese hadn’t taken the chance to peep on her. Her fans would have done so without hesitation, especially those who left disturbing lewd commentary on her online photos and videos, detailing vividly what they’d do to her body. 

Nessa gathered her blue wave-like towel and set about drying herself off, wishing she could warm herself up with Reese like earlier. By Arceus, that had been the best morning she’d had in forever: waking up next to Reese, even though he’d been angrily whispering at his partners, warmly wrapped up in his jacket like a little sushi roll. 

A Nessie-roll, Sonia might have called it, the thought making Nessa smile. 

She carefully wrapped up her hair into another towel to combat the miniature waterfall gushing down her back and neck before wrapping the first towel around her torso. 

“Sol,” Shadow’s voice made her jump and turn to see the red Absol sitting in the entrance to the chamber, scarlet eyes peering into her very soul. 

“You startled me, Shadow,” Nessa chided as she sat down to examine her clothes. “Is Reese okay?” 

Shadow nodded, but didn’t move further, and Nessa shrugged before toweling herself off more efficiently and consigning herself for another epic struggle against her hair. 

“Enjoying the show, Shadow?” Nessa asked after wrestling with clumps of wet hair for several minutes. 

It was still wet, but at least she could comb it and dress herself now. 

Shadow barked in response with a dry “Sol. Absol.” 

Nessa wished she could understand Reese’s partners the way he could, but pushed the thoughts from her mind as she rubbed her underarms with Roselia-shaped deodorant, then dressed herself in a white tank top and blue shorts before lacing on her sandals. She reached for Reese’s jacket, which was sitting on the stones next to her, then hesitated. 

“I wonder what he’ll say if I go out wearing it?” she mused, a chuckle escaping her throat as she grabbed the long jacket and slipped it over herself. 

It was as warm as usual despite sitting on the cold slab, and Nessa rose before doing a little spin for Shadow. 

“What do you think? Does it suit me?” she asked the strangely-colored Absol, who nodded in response. 

Her phone buzzed in her bag, and Nessa dug it out to find a text from Sonia waiting for her. 

_*Hey, bestie! I just heard the strangest legend while researching! Wanna hear_ _it? *_

A strange legend? Sonia was always coming across something unusual while burying herself in research or study. 

Nessa typed back a confirmation and waited for her bestie to respond. 

* _I was looking into Galar’s history. *_

_*Y’know, the whole hero with the sword and shield who saved the region from the Darkest Day? Well, I actually came across a strange legend that originated from Sinnoh hundreds of years ago, apparently._ * 

“How did she go from researching Galar to finding some old story from Sinnoh?” Nessa muttered as she texted Sonia that same question. 

_*Not_ _important! *_

_*Anyway. *_

_*This legend states that a long time ago, there were spirits in Mount Coronet who kidnapped people and dragged them to the Spirit World in order to feast on their souls. *_

_*And after eating enough souls, these spirits formed a body and began to wander around_ _Sinnoh_ _, terrorizing villages and kidnapping other people. *_

What the actual hell, Sonia? Nessa rubbed her eyes with her free thumb and forefinger as she tried to comprehend how Galar’s myths had led to murderous spirits in Sinnoh. 

_*After a while, the spirit disappeared and people began to think it was just, like, a tall tale or something, ya feel me? *_

_Why do I have the feeling it doesn’t end there?_

_*Because it doesn’t! The spirit disappeared from_ _Sinnoh_ _about four hundred years ago and then reappeared in_ _Johto_ _, of all places! *_

Nessa frowned: Johto? Why Johto? 

_*I looked into it and there have been sightings of the Spirit of Mount Coronet in almost every single region in the world! It’s said to be a large mass of swirling darkness that looks vaguely human, and if u hear it scream, ur going to die soon! *_

_*Spooky! *_

_It’s called the Spirit of Mount Coronet?_

_*Yup! Although people in_ _Sinnoh_ _prefer to call it the Spirit of the Mountain. *_

_*It’s been an urban legend for them for centuries. *_

_And how did you find this, again, Sonia?_

_*Come on, Nessie! Don’t tell me u aren’t the least bit intrigued by this! *_

Nessa raised an eyebrow at her friend’s words before typing back a response. 

_It’s interesting, but why tell me?_

_*Because it’s spooky! And scary! All we need now are some skeletons! *_

Nessa snorted despite herself, rolling her eyes. 

_Do you think it’s here in Galar?_

_*I hope not! I haven’t heard anything about a shadow figure with glowing green eyes, and I hope I never do! *_

_Glowing green eyes?_

_*Yeah! And apparently the Spirit went after some foundation president’s kid in Alola or something like that! This was pretty recent, too! Just two months ago! *_

Just two months ago? If some big foundation was reporting on the Spirit, perhaps it could actually be real? 

_Has anyone ever gotten any videos of it?_

_*Some older phones and cameras, sure! *_

_*The quality is awful,_ _tho_ _._ _😛_ _*_

_*I mean, look at this! *_

A video was linked, taking up half of Nessa’s screen as a rather blurry replay flashed across her vision. It showed a silent video of a dark figure moving through some wooded area, although the heavy pixilation of said video made it damn near impossible to tell just what it was. 

The figure suddenly stopped and turned, its face a swirling blob of rippling shadows while two bright green spotlights shone from the mass. Then the screen went black. 

_*See what I mean?! My eyes are bleeding just looking at this! *_

_It was pretty crappy quality._

_*Crappy is putting it nicely, Nessie! It doesn’t even have any sound, either. *_

_Weird. Probably good it doesn’t, right?_

_Otherwise we’d all probably die if_ _its_ _voice is said to herald our dooms._

_*True! I’m too young and pretty to die just yet! *_

_*Wait, I just thought of something! *_

_*Reese has weird green eyes, right? *_

_*OMG! What if he’s the soul devouring spirit?! O_O *_

Nessa actually burst out laughing at her friend’s wild imagination, nearly dropping her phone in the process. 

_If he’s the Spirit, he can devour me any day._

_*HAHAHAHA! *_

_*How are things with u two? *_

_I, um, asked him out._

_*WHAT!!! *_

_*WHAT DID HE SAY????? *_

_He was concerned about hurting me, cause of his curse, but he didn’t say no._

_*_ _So_ _u have a chance! *_

_He gave me his jacket so I could sleep last night._

_Also gave me a bunch of his clothes for padding so I wouldn’t be sleeping on the ground._

_*That’s SO CUTE! *_

_*He likes u, bestie. *_

_*Make him urs forever. *_

_*Do it. *_

Should she? She liked him, a lot, but... 

“Sol.” Shadow barked to get her attention, and Nessa became aware of the scent of something cooking. 

Her mouth started to water. 

_*I gtg! Ttyl bestie! *_

_*And if Reese has any doubts, just tell me. *_

_*And we’ll kidnap him. *_

_*I will make him love u! *_

“Sonia, you cannot be serious,” Nessa giggled, shaking her head and slipping her phone back into her bag. “She didn’t even question it when I told her I was sleeping on the ground.” 

She looked at Shadow, who seemed to shrug before rising and walking out of the cavern. Nessa hurried after her, her stomach growling loudly as she followed that delectable scent further into the mines. 

After squeezing out of a tunnel, she found Reese sitting before a small cookfire in the chamber where Shadow had roasted a Stunfisk, holding a miniature metal pan over it with sizzling sausages. A round platter rested to his right, on a small rock, with cooked Berries steaming into the air. 

“That smells good!” Nessa sauntered over to Reese, hoping he would look at her and see that she was wearing his jacket. 

He did, and his raised eyebrow made her grin. “Good bath?” 

“Not as good as it would be in a proper bath, since the pool doesn’t drain anywhere, but I feel a tiny bit cleaner,” Nessa nodded, plopping herself onto a smooth rock next to him. 

Dreepy soared over to the cooked Berries and grabbed one in its mouth before darting away, squeaking happily as it did so. 

“Dreepy, that’s your fifth one, you Arceus-damned glutton!” Reese yelled after it. 

Nessa snickered, then glanced down at Reese’s open travel bag before looking back at the utensils. “How did you get all this to fit in there?” 

“A lot of practice,” he answered, spearing the sausages with a fork and dumping them onto another plate. “That’s everything. Shadow and Honedge already ate, and Dreepy is going to make itself as big as a Wailord, eating the way it is.” 

“Dree! Dreepy! Py!” came the irritated rebuttal from the small dragon. 

Reese just held a hand up in a single-finger salute. Dreepy responded by throwing its half-eaten Oran Berry at him, making the fruit splatter against the wall as he ducked. 

“Missed,” he drawled, offering Nessa the plate he held. “Hungry? I thought I heard the growling of some terrible monster coming down the tunnel.” 

Nessa took the plate and fork, then flicked Reese’s forehead before biting into a speared sausage. Pure heat exploded in her mouth, making her shriek and curse as she seared the inside of her mouth, gnashing the offending substance with her teeth and swallowing it before it could set her ablaze. 

“I was going to say ‘it’s hot’ but I’m guessing you already figured that out,” Reese mused, wincing as he earned another flick on his forehead. 

“Smartass,” Nessa grumbled, embarrassment at her blunder burning through her almost as much as the sausage had burned her mouth. 

Reese held out a water bottle, which she took and guzzled until the cool contents soothed the ache in her throat. 

“You feeling alright?” he asked after several moments. “You seem...happier.” 

Nessa grinned at him. “Oh, Sonia was just telling me about some creepy legend from Sinnoh.” 

Reese stiffened just for a fraction of a moment, but he recovered quickly and set down his small pan on the ground. “Some creepy Sinnoh legend, huh? What was it about?” 

“Something called the Spirit of Mount Coronet,” Nessa watched him closely in case he reacted strangely to the news. 

“The Spirit of the Mountain...” he murmured, surprise sparking through her. “I haven’t heard that name in a while.” 

“I didn’t know you were from Sinnoh,” Nessa mused, remembering what Sonia had said. “Actually, I don’t think you ever told me.” 

“I didn’t,” Reese shook his head. “As for the Spirit...my mother told me about it a long time ago: said that it kidnapped naughty children and ate their souls if they didn’t behave and refused to do their chores. It’s just an urban legend.” 

“That’s what Sonia was saying,” Nessa nodded, fighting to keep her curiosity under control. 

She ate the rest of her food in silence once she made sure it wouldn’t set her mouth on fire, while Reese set about cleaning off his greasy pan using Dreepy’s Dragon Rage. Shadow kicked dirt onto the fire to put it out, and Nessa remembered that she needed to pick up some Pokemon food for her own partners. 

She’d make a stop in Motostoke once they got there. 

“So, what do you know about that legend?” she asked Reese, who paused in putting his miniature pan away. 

“Just what I told you,” he answered, though there was definitely some hesitation in his words. 

He was hiding something...maybe he’d had a run-in with the Spirit when he was younger and that’s why he was cursed? The possibilities were endless! 

“Neat,” Nessa mused as Dreepy blasted her empty plate with blue/red flames to clean it off before Reese took it. “I also did not know that Dragon Rage could clean plates and silverware.” 

“Neither did I,” Reese answered as he stowed everything in his bag. “I thought Dreepy was trying to break the things.” 

Dreepy again threw a Berry at its Trainer’s head, but again Reese ducked to avoid the edible missile. 

Nessa laughed at their antics, drawing a smile from the young man at her side. 

Her phone buzzed again, and her heart jumped into her throat as she examined its contents. “Arceus damn it! I completely forgot!” 

“Forgot what?” Reese asked, but Nessa was already jumping up to race back and retrieve her stuff from the cavern. 

“I have a photoshoot to attend today! They’re already waiting for me in Hullbury!” she dashed into the cave, grabbed her bag, then raced back out to where Reese was waiting with a concerned look on his face. 

“I guess I’ll see you in Motostoke?” he asked, but she grabbed his hand and began dragging him behind her as she raced through the cave. 

“Nope. You’re coming with me!” she yelled back. 

“Nessa!” he yelped. 

She wasn’t going to let him go that easily, not when she still had questions to ask! 

Besides, a photoshoot with Reese could be fun! 


	12. The Queen of the Waves

Why? What had he done to deserve this madness? 

Was it because of Spiritomb and their curse? 

Maybe he should have stayed in Postwick, locked the door on Hop’s nosy family, and just sank back into blessed isolation. 

“Hey, Reese, we’ve found a suit for you!” one of the crew burst into the room on the fucking yacht that Nessa had dragged him onto, holding up a pair of dark grey swim trunks. “It was made for one of the others who’d never showed up, but he looked to be about your size. It should fit...hopefully.” 

“I’m not going to need a swimsuit,” Reese grumbled, sending the man a warning glare to not press the issue. 

He took no joy in how the crewmate paled and stuttered, trying to find words to push through his lips. 

“I, uh, M-Miss Nessa was, um, very insistent that you be given one!” the man spluttered, practically throwing the trunks on a nearby cushioned chair before dashing out the door. 

“Noir,” Dusknoir grumbled from nearby, folding its arms in disapproval as it shook its head at him. 

“What does it matter?” Reese growled at him. “I shouldn’t even be here.” 

Shadow yawned from nearby, looking lazily out the window as she tapped her claws against the plush carpet covering the floor. “Sol. Absol.” 

“Yes, yes, I know that Nessa literally dragged me all the way here,” Reese rolled his eyes. “I just want to get this damn Challenge over with before I cause Nessa anymore trouble.” 

Dreepy chirped a complaint and nipped at Reese’s ear, making him flinch and nearly throw the little dragon from his head. 

“I know you enjoy it, Dreepy,” a thought hit him as he glanced up at his partner’s wide yellow eyes. “Come to think of it: do you have a two or three-stage evolution, Dreepy? You’ve been fighting long enough that you should be evolving soon, right?” 

“Py!” it confirmed. 

“I guess we’ll have to fight some wild Pokemon to see if we can’t spark the evolution,” Reese decided. “Same for you, Honedge.” 

Those two would need much work to improve their combat capabilities, especially since they had Shadow to catch up to. 

“Reese,” Nessa’s voice was followed by her bursting through the door that the crewman had fled through mere moments before. 

She was dressed in a crimson swimsuit that looked more like a dress and a short wavelike skirt that showed off her shapely and powerful legs, with pale blue makeup accenting her features. Reese tried to ignore how his heart skipped upon seeing her, but even Spiritomb rumbled a compliment at her beauty. 

“Nessa, why did you bring me here?” Reese asked as she sat down across from him, nudging the swim trunks that had been brought in. 

“Is it so bad that I wanted to have you here for a shoot?” she asked, her blue-painted lips curving into a smile as her eyes bore into him. “Besides, I was hoping that-” 

Her producer burst into the room after her, gasping heavily as if he’d just sprinted the entire breadth of the ship they were currently on. “Oh, there you are! I hate to tell you this, but we can’t find Pokemon anywhere! I don’t know if you can pull another Milotic out of your sleeve like last time, but...” 

Nessa groaned and rose from her seat. “You can’t find anything on any of the sonar?” 

“Nothing!” the man shook his head. “It’s like they just vanished the moment we set sail.” 

Arcus damn it all...Reese could think of one very specific reason as to why wild Pokemon were avoiding this ship like it was a vessel of the damned. 

Nessa must have read his mind, for she turned to face him with a raised eyebrow before vehemently shaking her head. 

Her producer must have read her own expression and frowned at Reese. “Don’t you have a curse that drives Pokemon away?” 

“Unfortunately, yes,” Reese sighed before Nessa could come to his defense. “Of course, I also attract dangerous, and angry, Pokemon, so don’t be too surprised if fucking Kyogre shows up out of nowhere to try to drown me.” 

“A Legendary Pokemon from another region could be quite an encounter...” the producer murmured, then shook his head. “No, we don’t need a Legendary Pokemon causing a tsunami.” 

“You also said you can attract Ghost and Dark type Pokemon, right?” Nessa pointed out, a gleam appearing in her eyes as Reese nodded. “Then it’s decided! You’ll get in the water with me and draw some Pokemon towards us!” 

“Uh, Nessa, do I need to remind you that the only Ghost or Dark types that frequent water are quite dangerous?” Reese stammered, wondering how he could get out of this clusterfuck before someone drowned. Namely, him. “Frillish and Jellicent aren’t exactly cute and cuddly, and neither are Crawdaunt or Sharpedo.” 

“Sharpedo aren’t native to these waters,” Nessa waved her hand dismissively. “And I know we’ll be fine with the both of us. I am the Water type Gym Leader for a reason, you know!” 

He didn’t doubt her affinity with Water types, but he couldn’t get in the water with her. Not unless he had something to cover up his chest and the Keystone that ravaged his flesh. 

“I...” he hesitated, not sure how he could frame the need to cover his torso up without making them suspicious. 

Nessa’s expression softened. “Not too confident of your body? It’s okay, it’s nothing to be embarrassed about! I know we have some wet suits if you’re not comfortable wearing swim trunks.” 

Reese glanced down to see that he’d been unconsciously holding his abdomen with his arms, making his flesh ripple with the dark energies stored just beneath. 

“U-um...yeah...” he mumbled, releasing himself and glancing sideways at Shadow to see her staring at him, her red eyes reflecting concern and whether or not she should kill everything in the room. 

“We’ll work on attracting some Pokemon,” Nessa told her producer. “Just find us a couple wet suits and we’ll see if one fits him.” 

“Er, alright, if you think this will work,” the man sighed. “We need to get these shots for our next cover, or else we’re all out of a job.” 

Reese paused. Was it really that serious?! 

Nessa winced. “Has the pressure really grown that much?” 

“Yeah. Macro Cosmos has been really pushing hard for those bastards over at the Rose’s Review to take over as Galar’s prominent modeling agency,” the man growled, clenching his fists. “Honestly, it’s like they just started that up to run us out of business!” 

Oh, was that the case? Reese’s heart hardened: he would see Nessa succeed if he had to summon an entire army of Pokemon even if they were trying to murder him. 

“In that case, we’d better work quickly,” he said coolly. 

Nessa turned back to him with a grateful smile on her lips as her producer left to seek out the wet suits. “Thank you, Reese. To be honest, I didn’t know that the competition had become so stiff that it was threatening us this badly. These are good people who’ve worked with me for years, and I don’t want them to lose their jobs to Rose and his cronies.” 

“I’ll do what I can to help,” Reese affirmed, hoping he hadn’t just signed himself up for certain doom. 

Him and his damned soft heart... 

Nessa leaned over and kissed his cheek, her touch soft and shockingly warm before she pulled back with a wide grin on her lips. “You know, you try and act like a cold-hearted bastard, but you’re quite kind and sweet.” 

“H-hey, when did I ever say I wanted to be a cold-hearted bastard?” Reese protested as more words died in his throat. 

Shadow snickered at his situation. 

“Oh, quiet, you,” he hissed at her. 

Even Nessa laughed, sitting down on the bench and motioning for him to do the same. 

Reese sighed and obliged, the cushion sinking under his weight as he eased himself onto the bench at her side. His cheek was still tingling in a manner not unpleasant at all. 

“You’re still quite mysterious,” Nessa said. “There’s something about you that I can’t quite put my finger on.” 

_And you won’t, ever, not if I have anything to say about it_ , Reese thought. 

“Hey, I think we found some suits that’ll fit him,” another crewmember, not the one that Reese had terrified earlier, strode in with a few rubbery black suits draped over her arms. “If you need any help getting the damn things on, let us know. Oh, and a bit of advice: try not to make them too tight or else you’ll get one hell of a wedgie.” 

Reese grinned at the woman as he studied the suits. “I’ll keep that in mind, thanks.” 

Nessa rose from her seat and clapped her hands together once. “Right! I’ll leave you to change, but don’t take too long!” 

“Yeah,” Reese murmured as she left to give him some modicum of privacy. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

Nessa was pacing on the main deck, anger and concern warring inside of her as she replayed her producer’s words again and again. 

“Damn you to every hell, Rose,” she whispered. “You’re really trying to force us out of our jobs like this?” 

Scheming, slithering bastard! 

“Are you sure this is going to work, Nessa?” one of the photographers, a lanky, sunburned woman with short brown hair named Bernie, asked, her expression filled with worry. “We need this to succeed!” 

“Reese will help us, I know it,” she answered. 

“I hope your faith is well-placed,” the woman sighed. 

“It is,” Nessa affirmed, swallowing her nerves as she silently prayed that her faith was, indeed, well-placed. 

She trusted Reese and his talent for pissing off Pokemon, but this held the potential for being incredibly dangerous for both of them if he attracted exceedingly aggressive Pokemon. 

“Ugh, I think I’m wearing this right,” Reese’s voice from behind made her turn to see the young man dressed in a tight rubbery suit that left his feet, head, and hands bare. 

It showed off his muscular frame well, which Nessa took a moment to appreciate before the gravity of the situation once again sank into her bones. 

“You look good,” she said with a sharp nod before jerking her chin at the calm, glassy surface of the ocean spreading out to the horizon. “Let’s get in, then.” 

His strange green eyes seemed to glow just for a moment as he nodded, his jaw set with determination. “Let’s.” 

“Alright, places!” one of the crew shouted. “At your ready, Miss Nessa!” 

Nessa strode up to the railing that kept the crew on the lightly swaying craft rather than plummeting into the still sea and looked back at Reese. 

Her lips curled into a grin against her wishes as she held her hand out. “Well? Let’s get some Pokemon over here!” 

His own expression was grim as he nodded and strode up to join her, green eyes peering into the depths in which they were to descend. His warm and partially rough hand closed around hers, filling her with warmth. 

“When?” he asked. 

Nessa just grinned at him again when he looked at her. “After you.” 

Then she hauled him forward by his hand and threw him off the ship, followed by a long string of bellowed cursing until he splashed into the ocean. 

“Nessa!” someone spluttered behind her. 

She couldn’t resist giggling as Reese burst onto the surface, spluttering and spitting out water as he treaded to keep himself afloat. 

“Nessa!” he roared. 

Then something slammed into her back, turning Nessa’s laughs into a scream as she, too, plummeted into the warm, salty grasp of the sea. 

It was so quiet and peaceful beneath the surface, but Nessa had to remind herself not to open her eyes underwater as she kicked her way back up. Her head broke the surface and she spit out some salty water before glaring back up at the ship. 

“Sol! Sol! Absol!” Shadow called daintily from the railing, the damn girl actually lifting a paw up in a wave. 

Reese cackled at whatever the Dark type had said. “Serves you right, Nessie.” 

“Don’t call me that,” Nessa growled, splashing him with a small wave of salt water. “Just float there and make some Pokemon angry.” 

“Oh, sure, I’ll just sit here with my middle fingers pointing at the depths. That’ll make some fuckers eager to murder me,” Reese rolled his eyes, earning him another dousing from Nessa. 

He spluttered and shook his head to get his soaked hair out of his eyes, but he was grinning as he turned his gleaming green eyes to Nessa. 

“Hush and get back to being bait,” she scoffed, lightly kicking her feet to keep herself afloat. 

“Yes, ma’am,” came the droll reply. 

Nessa looked over at him and found his eyes closed as he tread water, and she could have sworn that his chest flared with ominous green light just for the briefest of moments. The air and the water suddenly grew colder, and Nessa could feel something sinister seeping into her very soul, just like it had back in Turffield. 

She instinctively pushed away from him, making water slosh around her as she inched closer to the ship bobbing just behind her. 

After what felt like an eternity of treading water, Reese opened his eyes, and Nessa saw that once again his pupils had changed into spiraling vortexes. “I can feel a lot of Pokemon in the water beneath us.” 

Nessa looked down and her breath caught in her throat: dozens upon dozens of glowing pink and blue forms were emerging in the depths, filling it with ghostly illumination that many believed spelled doom for sailors. 

“By Arceus,” she whispered. 

She’d never seen so many before! 

“Damn, that curse of his is no joke!” someone called from the ship. 

“Get the cameras ready!” 

“Should we get the submersible, too?” 

“Immediately!” 

“Come on,” Reese grabbed Nessa’s hand and tugged her out. “Spread out your arms and legs and float on your back. I’ll ask the Jellicent and Frillish to just keep the water illuminated like this.” 

Nessa obeyed, lying back atop the surface of the water and trying to ignore how the water seeped into her ears. Her hair spread out around her head, swaying along with the slight current she could feel. There was a splash from next to her, where Reese had been, and she felt movement from the water indicating that he’d dived down to the surfacing Pokemon. 

“Nessa, spread your arms and legs out a bit more!” someone called from the ship, their voice a bit muffled from the water. 

There was another splash, but this one was further away: maybe the submersible with the underwater camera? 

Something else moved in the water beneath her, and Nessa had to fight the urge to move her head in order to see what it was. Wait...not something- _somethings_! 

“Oh my!” Bernie gasped, aiming her camera right at Nessa. “Nessa, don’t move! That’s perfect! Just look up at me and give me your best smile!” 

“No, no smile!” her producer, James, barked. “It looks too unnatural with those Pokemon! Nessa, close your eyes and float! Look like you’re dreaming!” 

Dreaming?! How the hell was she supposed to do that while kicking her arms and legs to stay afloat?! 

A pair of strong hands pressed against her back from below, nearly making her yelp until they pushed her up enough to where she could float without having to use her own limbs. 

_Reese_ , she realized. _Alright, I can do this._

Nessa let her body relaxed, trusting the water and Reese to keep her above the surface as she looked up at the clear blue sky before closing her eyes. 

“Man, that cursed kid really knows how to work with Ghost types and Dark types, doesn’t he?” she faintly heard someone comment alongside the clicking of cameras. 

“Get those from different angles!” James barked, followed by affirming shouts. 

Nessa hoped this would end soon: she had no idea how long Reese could hold his breath. 

“Okay! We got some good shots!” Bernie shouted. “Get Reese back up here!” 

Nessa immediately turned her body and swung an arm downwards through the water, smacking what felt like Reese’s shoulder before freezing as her fingers brushed against something colder and harder. She turned her head and almost yelped at the sight of a Crawdaunt floating in the water just off to her side, its head lifting so that the strange star-shaped horn on its forehead was almost sticking out of the water. 

She sank into the water as Reese ceased pushing her up, forcing her to tread water again as her body swung back down towards the depths. Another Crawdaunt had been floating in the space between her legs, but the Pokemon swam away to give her room as a third Crawdaunt moved away to her right. 

Reese broke the surface behind her, coughing and spluttering as he inhaled deeply while a fourth Crawdaunt hovered protectively behind him. 

“Oh, ye gods, I was afraid I was going to drown for a moment,” he gasped once he stopped coughing. 

“Crawdaunt! Daunt!” the Pokemon behind him protested. 

“I know you wouldn’t have let me, my friends,” Reese reached out and rubbed the ordinarily dangerous and aggressive Pokemon’s head as if it were a Yamper. “Thank you for agreeing to help me and these people.” 

The Crawdaunt nodded enthusiastically, then grunted something while gesturing down into the blue and pink lights dancing through the depths. 

“What? Something else down there?” Reese glanced at Nessa, his green eyes filled with concern. “Show me.” 

“Me, too,” Nessa swam over to him, looking him over with a critical eye. “You alright, Reese? You were down there for a while.” 

He nodded. “I’ll be fine. Just glad to be able to swim without Pokemon trying to drown me.” 

“Daunt!” the Pokemon dove beneath the surface with a spray of water, and Nessa filled her lungs before doing the same. 

Disregarding the usual warnings, she kept her eyes opened to keep track of the great crustacean as it delved deeper towards the glowing Jellicent and Frillish. The lights were beautiful, and Nessa kicked down towards them with all the strength she could muster. 

Then Reese came cruising by, holding onto another Crawdaunt’s smaller claw as he held his free hand out to her. Nessa grabbed it and held on as the Pokemon led them down deeper and deeper into the depths, down towards the lights. 

A few of the Frillish lifted their wispy tentacles in a wave (damn her for thinking of that pun even beneath the surface) and Nessa waved back until she saw what the Crawdaunt was guiding them towards. It nearly took her breath away. 

It was a grouping of anchor-shaped Dhelmise who had gathered together to form what roughly resembled a crown with their bodies, their singular eyes beaming as they watched her approach. 

How the hell did they manage to form that? 

Reese squeezed her hand as the Crawdaunt slowed to drop them off, and Nessa swam over to the Dhelmise with the young man in tow. Reese tried to let go of her hand, but she held on tight as she gently ran her fingers over one of the Dhelmise’s slick, wooden bodies. She managed not to touch the seaweed entangled upon them, and the Pokemon seemed quite pleased with her efforts. 

Reese tugged her over the grouping until she was floating with the crown at her back, then set about directing the glowing jellyfish Pokemon to illuminate them all while the four Crawdaunt watched from the side. 

The company’s small, bright yellow submersible puttered through the water towards them, its lights and cameras immediately honing in on Nessa. She could only imagine the shock and awe that the crew was experiencing upon seeing these incredible Pokemon! 

Reese managed to free himself and swam away to join the Crawdaunt, turning to watch and giving Nessa a watery thumbs-up. 

The crew piloting the sub, bless their hearts, quickly set the device up for camera shots and blinked the lights to indicate that they were ready for whatever she had to try before her lungs couldn’t handle the strain anymore. 

Nessa bobbed her head in understanding and glanced back to see that the Dhelmise had centered her in the middle of their grouping. A few blue Frillish had floated closer to join the shot, the little crowns on their heads emitting the light that filled the depths. 

Crowns...maybe try to be princess-like? 

Nessa glanced at Reese again and found him watching with interest. 

She stopped kicking her legs to cross them and interlaced her fingers beneath her chin, steeling her expression as she sent what she hoped was a cool, imperious gaze at the camera. 

A green light flickered on the camera: hold the pose. 

Then the camera flashed once, twice, three times. 

A blue light flickered above the camera lens: one more pose. 

_Damn it, what could she do now?_

Reese floated down to her as she broke her pose, concern written plain across his face in the ghostly bioluminescence. Nessa’s eyes widened as an idea struck her, and she reached out to grab his arms. 

She pulled him down with her, positioning him to her side at arm’s length as his confused face stared at her. She mimed dancing with her hands, but he just kept staring in abject bewilderment. 

_Damn it, Reese!_

Nessa swam over to him, keenly aware of the growing strain on her lungs as she began to tug his arms this way and that to position him, then motioned for him to stay like that once she was satisfied. She then glided over to where she’d been, clasping his extended hand in hers before positioning herself into what she hoped was an appropriate pose. 

If she’d positioned them correctly, they should look like they were dancing beneath the waves. 

A green light flickered from nearby: hold the pose. 

The camera clicked repeatedly, then shone red to indicate that they were done. 

Nessa nodded to Reese and pointed up towards the surface, then began kicking her way up. She glanced back and saw Reese following her, his green eyes burning into her. Then she saw a shadow streaking towards him from behind, recognition and fear spiking in her heart. 

She pointed frantically at what was coming as the Barraskewda shot forward with blinding speed, knifing through the dark water with ease. 

Reese turned just in time to see the creature streaking towards him with a mouth full of knife-like teeth. He jerked his body down to the side just in time to avoid the torpedo streaking past him and missing by mere inches. 

Nessa reversed course and kicked towards Reese as the Barraskewda shot out and circled around to make another shot, its sights still clearly set on Reese. 

If she could shout, she would yell at the damn Pokemon to leave Reese alone, but...well, she was underwater. And her lungs were starting to scream from the strain of holding her breath for so long. 

How long had they been under, anyway? 

The Barraskewda shot towards Reese, and he dodged its razor-sharp teeth only for the fish’s streamlined body to slam into the side of his head. Nessa kicked herself forward and grabbed his shoulder, making him jolt in alarm. 

Pain spliced her abdomen as his elbow rammed into her stomach, and Nessa spluttered from the impact as precious air was pushed from her already straining lungs in a stream of bubbles. 

Reese spun, the horror and shock on his face rapidly being replaced by simmering rage. The Barraskewda lined itself up for another charge, its propeller-like tail spinning rapidly, and then a dark shadow slammed into it from above. 

The Barraswekda’s shriek was overshadowed by the roar of the group of Crawdaunt as two grappled with the speeding Pokemon. The other two grabbed Nessa and Reese and ascended with more speed than either human could have mustered. 

Nessa took a moment to appreciate that they hadn’t been down deep enough to risk decompression sickness, especially with the speed with which they were shooting to the surface. 

Her head broke the surface, and Nessa gasped as she was finally able to fill her screaming lungs with fresh air. Reese surfaced at her side, mirroring her gasp as he filled his own lungs. 

“Nessa! What’s going on?!” James called from the yacht. 

“Barraskewda!” she yelled back up, wincing from the flare of pain in her stomach. 

“Grab on!” someone tossed a life ring attached to a rope down to her, and she hurriedly draped her arms across it. 

Her stomach was stinging from Reee’s elbow, but she could breathe easily enough. 

“Someone get them out of there!” A second ring was thrown to Reese, and he grabbed it easily enough. 

Nessa held on grimly as the crew hauled her out of the water, somehow managing to not slam her against the gleaming white hull of the ship as they pulled her over the railing and back onto the polished wooden deck. 

The crew swarmed her, several voices calling out to her as multiple pairs of hands turned her this way and that as they sought out any injuries. 

“I’m fine!” she snapped, her voice cutting through the others. “Check Reese: he’s the one that got attacked.” 

“I’m fine,” came the groan, and Nessa looked over to see Reese rubbing a nasty-looking bruise that had begun to color his face. 

“Geez! That Barraskewda really did a number on him,” Bernie winced, setting her camera aside and kneeling next to Reese as another crew member ran over with a first aid kit. 

“I accidentally elbowed Nessa,” Reese gestured at her. “Somewhere in the gut...don’t think I did that much damage, but still.” 

“I’m fine: it’s just a bruise,” Nessa said with a dismissive wave. 

“Let’s get them inside and dried off!” James barked. 

“Hey, we got the sub back in its dock!” 

“Good! Those pictures will make Miss Nessa the face of Galar!” the producer in James’s voice made Nessa crack a smile as she lifted her soaked body off the deck. 

The next few minutes were a blur of getting wrapped in towels and bundled up on one of the cushioned benches at the back of the ship, absently rubbing her sore abdomen as she stared up at the clear blue sky. 

“Nessa,” Reese emerged from within the ship, dressed once more in his travel clothes and coat despite the heat. “Are you alright?” 

“Fine,” she said with a grin, patting the bench next to her. “It looks like your friends helped us save the day.” 

Reese sat at her side, making the bench shudder under his weight. “I thanked the Pokemon rather profusely right before we got attacked. I have to say, I wasn’t expecting those Dhelmise to form that weird crown with their bodies.” 

“I hope those pictures turned out well,” she mused. “James seemed quite pleased.” 

“I’m sure they will: they have you as their subject, after all,” Reese drawled. 

“Flatterer,” Nessa playfully shoved him and then took notice of the misshapen bruise that was now coloring the left side of his face. “Is your head alright? You took quite a hit from that Barraskewda.” 

He sighed. “I’ve taken far worse. Not the first time some predatory fish Pokemon tried to rip my throat out, after all.” 

On an impulse, Nessa reached out and gently rested her hand on the bruise, making Reese wince. 

“You helped my friends, so thank you,” she said as she pressed her forehead against his, feeling the warmth of his breath against her face. 

“Of course I did,” he nodded, his face red as he stared at her. 

Nessa pretended not to hear the click of a camera nearby along with Bernie’s whispered “Holy shit, this is adorable!” along with a little squeal. 

“So, on to Motostoke?” Reese asked as Nessa pulled back and released him. 

She nodded. “To Motostoke and old man Kabu.” 


End file.
